New Georgia Home
by PolkaDotSocks93
Summary: COMPLETE A/U: Amanda Armstrong heads to Georgia as a graduate student in Atlanta, and meets deputy Rick Grimes by accident. Will Rick and his son, Carl, help Amanda adjust to her new life in King County? Can she overcome her past memories? Will Amanda help Rick and Carl overcome their own pasts too?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Cloud of Doom Strikes Again

_'Crap. Seriously? Well at least it can't get any worse, can it?' _Amanda thought as she managed to pry herself out of the truck. Her prized vehicle, her '98 Ford Explorer, had suffered a blowout on the way home from her classes, and as a result of high speed on the highway, she had successfully managed to roll the truck. She stood looking at the wreckage, picking glass out of her hair, fumbling for her cell phone. She had only been in Georgia a month; she'd come to King County to attend grad school thirty-five minutes away in Atlanta at Georgia State University. She was four hours away from her hometown and family in Alabama, so it wasn't like she could call her brother to come to her rescue. She felt her head with her hand, noticing she had dried blood on her temples. She assumed it was the glass, but she wasn't sure. She wasn't as disoriented as she knew she should have been, but she still felt badly. She sat down on the side of the road, next to the wreck, and dialed 911.

"Hello, King County 911, what is your emergency?" Asked the voice on the other end of the line.

"Um, yes, I've been in a car accident near mile marker 111. I need some assistance." Amanda responded.

"Are you hurt?"Asked the 911 dispatcher.

"Not badly. Mostly I just need a police officer or something to come help me out." Amanda said.

"Alright. You said mile marker 111? I see you near Highway 24. I'll send a sheriff's deputy. Are you sure you don't need an ambulance?" Asked the dispatcher again.

"I'll let them decide when they get here." Amanda reassured her.

"Alright, there's a deputy on the way." Said the dispatcher.

"Thanks so much, bye." Amanda said, hanging up the phone.

The August heat made the five minute wait an eternity. The sun beat down on her neck, making her feel hot and sticky. She looked around for the deputy, and noticed the blue patrol car pull up. A male sheriff's deputy got out and walked towards her.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" He asked in a deep Southern voice.

"I think so...I honestly don't know. I had a blowout on my way back from class, and because I was going fifty-five, I rolled." Amanda explained.

"Explorers are top heavy." The deputy began, crouching down next to her. "You've got some cuts on your forehead, though."

"Yeah, I think it was the glass. I don't know. My neck hurts, but I think that's just whiplash." Amanda responded.

"You think you need to go to the ER?" The deputy asked.

"I don't think I need an ambulance, but I reckon I should go get checked out. Would you take me?" Amanda asked.

The deputy helped her to her feet, being careful not to pull her too hard. "I'd be happy to take you. Is there anyone you can call?" He asked.

"No sir. All my family lives four hours away in Alabama. I don't have anyone." She responded.

"Well, I'm off duty in thirty minutes anyway. I'll take you home after we make sure you're okay." The deputy said.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." Amanda said sincerely. She was thankful for a friendly face so far away from home.

"No problem. I never did get your name, ma'am."He said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, my name's Amanda. Amanda Armstrong." Amanda said, extending her hand. The deputy shook her hand carefully, smiling. "Well Amanda Armstrong, my name is deputy Rick Grimes."

The ride to the hospital was longer than Amanda had anticipated. Still, though she felt sore, she enjoyed Rick's company. He seemed very laid back, and she felt at ease. Amanda had never really been good at making conversation in the past, but Rick seemed comfortable with making small talk.

"So Amanda, I noticed an Alabama plate on your truck. Whatcha doin' in Georgia?" He asked quizzically. Amanda smiled at the query.

"Well, I'm going to Georgia State in Atlanta. It's cheaper to live out here than downtown. I'm here for graduate school. I wanted to move away for a bit, but I gotta admit, it's times like this that I wish I had my family closer." Amanda explained, mentally kicking herself for choosing to move away from her parents. If she had stayed, they could've helped her out. Her brother would've came and picked her up, and she could've still been living at home. Rick smiled, chuckling lightly.

"Yeah, I understand that. It's a good haul to Alabama from here. What part of Alabama you from?" He asked.

"Florence. It's about four hours from here, driving through Birmingham. Florence is twenty minutes away from Tennessee and thirty from Mississippi, so I'm quite a ways away."Amanda chuckled. Rick grinned widely at this, glancing at the rear view mirror.

"Looks like you ain't in Kansas anymore." Rick said.

"Yeah, but I like it here. I like King County. It's not huge like Atlanta. I'm not a fan of the big city." Amanda admitted.

"I don't like it either, 's why I'm here!" Rick laughed. Amanda had to admit, this guy was cute. She hadn't dated in nearly a year, not since her engagement had fallen through. She hadn't even found anyone remotely attractive, but this Rick guy was a lot different.

"Yeah, my parents helped me out quite a bit when I moved. It still doesn't help not knowing anyone." Amanda admitted.

"Are you here by yourself?" Rick asked.

"Yep. I'm a single lady going to grad school at Georgia State. It's just me and my dog, Scout." Amanda said.

Rick smiled again, "So, whatcha studying in grad school?" He asked.

"History. I love it, I was a history major in undergrad. But I reckon that was pretty obvious." Amanda replied.

"Well, I was criminal justice at the community college, so you're ahead of me." Rick joked.

Amanda smiled at the complement. "I want to get my doctorate. I really want to teach college." She explained.

Rick looked impressed. "You've got a lot of ambition." Rick said. Amanda blushed. "Well, what else do you do with a history degree?" She giggled.

"Good point." Rick nodded. Amanda thought he was the most handsome man she'd ever laid her eyes on. She liked this friendly face, and hoped she'd run into him in her new small hometown.

Rick swung into the police parking space at the Alpharetta Regional Hospital, running over to the passenger side to help her out. She felt stiffer than she did before, and winced slightly. He put her arm over his shoulder and helped her walk in, taking her up to the front desk.

"Hi, can I help you?" The nurse asked. Amanda actually recognized her. That was her next door neighbor, Carol Peletier. Carol and her daughter, Sophia had been the first ones to welcome her to Georgia. Amanda liked her and Sophia a lot, but her husband, Ed, was a completely different story.

"Yeah, this young lady here was in a wreck earlier. I need her to get checked out." Rick explained.

Carol nodded, recognizing Amanda as she looked her way. "Amanda? Goodness! What happened to you?" She asked.

"I had a blowout, rolled the car. Thought I was fine, but I'm really sore right now." Amanda admitted.

Carol got up from her desk and grabbed a wheelchair, motioning for Rick to sit her down. Rick stayed with her as they wheeled her back to a room, and sat in the chair across from the bed as they waited for the doctor to come examine her.

"So, you know her?" Rick asked. "Yeah, she's my neighbor. I watch her daughter Sophia on nights she has to work over. Tonight would've been one of those nights, but I guess Carol's gonna need a backup plan." Amanda laughed.

Rick laughed with her. "Yeah, I really reckon so. I'm gonna be honest, you're really lucky you're not in worse shape. There was a young guy a few weeks ago that died in a wreck that wasn't near as bad." Rick said.

"The speed limit was fifty five. I don't know why it rolled." Amanda said.

"'Cause Explorers are the most top-heavy vehicles on the road besides Jeeps. You were basically in a roll cage." Rick explained. Amanda suddenly felt very grateful she was just sore.

"So it's a total loss, huh?" Amanda asked.

"It's done for." Rick responded. Amanda frowned. "I've had that truck since I was eighteen. I loved that thing." Amanda whispered.

"Well, you're lucky you got out okay. I was really afraid when I pulled up that it'd be worse." Rick said.

Amanda felt grateful. The wreck could have been a lot worse. Rick could have been calling her parents to tell her that she was dead. Instead, he sat across from her, trying to keep her occupied.

As they continued their small talk, the attending ER doctor came in. "Miss Armstrong, is it? I'm Dr. Subramanian. It says you were in a car accident." Dr. Subramanian said, looking over her chart.

"Yeah, I rolled the car after a blowout. I felt fine at first, but my neck is really sore, and I know I've got some cuts and stuff like that."Amanda said.

The doctor nodded, putting on gloves and carefully checking her face. He furrowed his brow, concentrating heavily on her obvious cosmetic injuries. He moved his hands to her collar bone, looking her over. She winced as he placed his fingers on her chest, and he became looked up at her.

"You have some pretty nasty bruises from the seat belt, and I'm assuming the air bag too." Dr. Subramanian explained.

"The air bag didn't deploy. I hit the steering wheel."Amanda said. Both the doctor and Rick winced as she said this.

"I think it's a fractured collar bone, honestly. I'm gonna order some X-Ray's and a CT scan. I really think you've got a mild concussion, but I don't want to miss anything. I want a full body CT scan to make sure there's nothing I'm not missing. I'd say you need a couple of days to recover." The doctor told her.

Amanda nodded, "Well, I'm sorer than I thought." She admitted.

"I want to pick the glass out of your cuts, though. That has to be step one." Dr. Subramanian said. Amanda understood.

"I figured as much." Amanda laughed softly.

"Well, it's a good thing I'm off duty." Rick laughed. Amanda frowned, feeling bad.

"You can leave if you want." Amanda said. Rick waved his hand at her, dismissing the statement.

"No, no. I've got to make a phone call, but I'm gonna stay here till you can go home. You're by yourself, I can't just leave you." Rick said. He was such a nice guy, Amanda though. His wife must love him.

"Thanks, I appreciate it. You're really sweet." Amanda said. He smiled widely, making Amanda smile in turn. "It's really nothing." He said, before excusing himself to make his phone call.

Amanda had been back getting X-Rays and CT scans done for what seemed like forever. She didn't like sitting still so long, and began fidgeting tremendously. She had always had trouble sitting still, and it being put in a tube made her panic internally. Dr. Subramanian was taking no chances, and she was happy for that, but she still wanted the other doctors to hurry up so she could go home. She was finally being wheeled back to her room, and she noticed Rick wasn't alone.

"Dad, is that the girl?" The young boy asked, pointed to Amanda as she entered the room. Rick chuckled.

"Yep, that's Miss Amanda." Rick explained. Amanda's heart sunk. Not only was this guy married, he had a nine or ten year old son. She frowned, but the boy smiled and walked over to her bed, leaning

over the side.

"Hi, I'm Carl." The boy said enthusiastically. "Nice to meet you, Carl." Amanda said. "Dad said we were going to stay with you because you're by yourself. He said you were nice." Carl blurted. Amanda couldn't help but smile at the boy's friendliness. He was very well behaved, and Amanda was very impressed.

"Yep, I'm a ways from home. But you're dad was really nice to stay with me." Amanda told the boy. He grinned widely, revealing a bottom tooth missing. He looked around, making sure his dad wasn't paying attention. "Dad says you have a dog."He whispered. Amanda grinned widely, she liked this kid.

"I do, her name is Scout." Amanda said.

"Is she big or little?" Carl asked.

"Big. Bigger than you!" Amanda replied.

"What does she look like?" Cark asked.

"She's big and white. Very fluffy. She's almost as big as me." Amanda explained. The boys eyes grew wide.

"I want to meet her." Carl said.

Amanda grinned. "Well, maybe you can come by sometime and play. She likes kids."Amanda told him.

Carl turned around. "Dad, Miss Amanda says I can play with her dog. When we take her home, can I play with her dog? Please?" Carl begged. Rick looked at Amanda almost apologetically. Amanda smiled at him reassuringly.

"I wouldn't mind, Rick. Scout doesn't know anyone either. I'm sure it'll be dark when we're back though." Amanda said.

Rick seemed grateful for her kindness. "You're a sweet person, Amanda. But it's already 7:30. It'll be dark soon." Rick said. Amanda smiled. "I could say the same about you, too. Carl's welcome to come by and play with her. Sophia loves her, I know Carl would too."Amanda assured him. Just then, Dr. Subramanian walked in, discharge papers in hand.

"Well, Miss Armstrong, you've got a fractured collar bone, but it should heal soon. You do have whiplash, and some bruising. But, you should be fine soon. But, if anything happens out of the ordinary, call me. Even if it seems like nothing, call me." Dr. Subramanian emphasized. Amanda thanked him profusely, before allowing Rick to help her up and out the door. They walked out of the emergency room, noticing Carol still sitting at the nurses' station.

"I'm glad to see you're okay." Carol called to her.

"I am too, thanks! I'm sorry I couldn't watch Sophia tonight." Amanda apologized.

"Don't even worry about it! I'm glad you're okay." Carol said.

"Well, I'm free tomorrow night. If you're working, just send Sophia by. We still have to write that report of hers anyway." Amanda told her.

"Alright, then. I'll have her go to your house after school." Carol said.

"Alrighty, see you tomorrow!" Amanda said, waving to Carol before leaving the hospital.

The ride home was filled with conversation, mostly from Carl. He seemed entrhalled with Amanda, and asked her about everything from her dog to history to asking if she could help him write a paper on General Robert E. Lee. Rick joked with her as well, and apologized for Carl's energetic zeal toward her. Amanda liked the company, though. When they got to her house, as promised, Amanda let Scout inside so Carl could play with her. Instantly, the boy and the dog were buddies, and Amanda couldn't help but feel happy. Scout had always been great with everyone, and Carl was no exception.

"I haven't seen him that happy in a while." Rick said.

"I'm glad Scout could help." Amanda said.

"He really likes you. He hasn't even warmed up to anyone like he has you, honestly." Rick admitted.

Amanda looked at him. "I'm sure he's like this with his mom though."

"Wouldn't know, she left when he was five." Rick said flatly. So there's where Mrs. Grimes was.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Amanda whispered, feeling instantly guilty.

"Don't. She made her choice, couldn't tell you where she is now. I'm assumin' she's still in Macon with her new husband." Rick said. Amanda felt even worse now.

"You know, I like Carl. It's nice to have the company." Amanda said.

Rick grinned widely, looking at her. His eyes were so blue, Amanda's heart fluttered. "He really likes you. It's really hard to find people he gets along with. 'Especially since his mom left."Rick said. Amanda felt terrible. How could anyone leave Rick, or Carl? Carl was a great kid. Even if it didn't work out with his Dad, Carl was enough to at least stay in town.

"This is weird to ask, but would you mind keeping Carl some time?" Rick asked. Amanda didn't hesitate. "Not at all. Actually, how about tomorrow? Sophia will be here, he'll have someone to play with." Amanda suggested.

"That sounds perfect." Rick said. "Is 3:30 good?"

"3:30 is perfect." Amanda said.

"Good, 3:30 it is. Now you can say you know some people in Georgia." Rick joked. He motioned for Carl, explaining to him that he had to go.

"I look forward to it. See you guys tomorrow!" Amanda said happily.

"See ya tomorrow." Rick replied.

Amanda watched Rick and Carl drive away, and felt a strange tug on her heart. Though initially, the day was horrible, she had made two new friends, that was enough for her. She couldn't wait for tomorrow, where she would be able to see them again, and maybe even get to know Rick better.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Can We Do it Again?

Amanda had decided to take a day off of class, and instead used the free time to recover and wait for Sophia and Carl. Rick had text her that morning and told her he'd pay her for watching Carl, and she couldn't turn down the money. Her parents had bought the house she was living in, but she paid the "rent", which was the mortgage. As a grad student living on a stipend, money was limited and what little she did have would have to go toward a new car. She was still extremely sore, and had bruises all over. Her collarbone felt better, but still ached. She was tired because she was too sore to sleep, and had effectively stayed up later than she intended. She had cleaned as much as she could, making sure to pick up the dust bunnies that Scout had left behind. Scout was a Great Pyrenees, and had enough hair on her to make another dog. Amanda chided herself for not getting Scout sheared again, but Scout always came home sulking afterward, and Amanda couldn't stand when Scout gave her the silent treatment. Amanda swept around Scout as she laid in the floor, sleeping peacefully. There was only another hour till the kids arrived, and would be getting off the bus together at her house. For Sophia, this had been arranged when the school year started. For Carl, this was a new occurrence, and Amanda wasn't sure if he'd ever even ridden a bus before. Sophia's father worked the night shift, and Carol worked during the day. Amanda never liked the idea of a twelve-year-old girl being alone for long hours, so she offered almost instantly to let Sophia stay in the afternoons. She was afraid she'd have her hands full with both of them, but Carl and Sophia both were well behaved, so she thought it could be fun. Soon, 3:30 arrived, and Amanda heard the familiar sound of the bus. She walked to the door slowly, still limping. She opened the door just in time to hear Carl yelling from across the yard.

"MISS AMANDA!" He exclaimed happily.

"Well hey to you to, kiddo." She said, giving him a hug. Sophia followed behind him quietly, giving a shy, small smile.

"Hi, Miss Amanda. How are you? Mama said you were at the hospital yesterday." Sophia said.

"I'm fine, sweetie. How was y'all's day at school?" Amanda asked.

"GREAT! Guess what? My teacher, Mr. Tyreese, he brought a Civil War bullet to class today!" Carl said excitedly. Amanda smiled, the kid was just as sweet as ever.

"Yeah, Mr. Tyreese wants us to write papers by next week." Sophia said. Amanda didn't know they were in the same class.

"You guys have class together?" Amanda asked.

"Yeah! Sophia and her best friend Lizzie are in class with me!" Carl said enthusiastically. Huh, it was a really small world, Amanda thought.

"Well that's cool. So, what do you guys want to do? We can make a snack, we can take Scout for a walk, you pick. Either way, homework's gotta be done tonight before your folks get here."Amanda said. She loved kids, always did. She hoped that one day she could have a big family with kids playing in the yard. If she had a son, she knew she wanted him to be like Carl. She loved Sophia, but she hoped she'd come out of her shell. It didn't help that her dad was so rough with her. Most days, she didn't want to go home.

"Can we do homework first? We don't have an awful lot, and I want to play with Scout." Sophia said. Amanda grinned, she was always a sensible kid.

"I like Sophia's idea." Carl added. He was sensible too, despite his bounding energy.

"Sure, guys. Let's get started." Amanda said, motioning to the kitchen table. The kids put their backpacks down, and began to work on their English homework. Amanda helped them with their spelling words and writing, she noticed Carl needed major work. Sophia's weakest subject was by far math, but it was Amanda's too, so she sympathized. It took Amanda three tries to make it through finite math in college, so she felt math would be best left to Carol. Carl, however, could be easily helped, but she noticed he showed signs of slight dyslexia. Sophia set to work on her own quietly, and Amanda sat down next to Carl, putting a plate of cheese and crackers on the table for them.

"Carl, have you always had trouble with English?" Amanda asked quietly.

Carl looked down, shrugging. "Yeah, I guess. I had to go to summer school last year. I can't read like the other kids." Carl said, whispering the last part. Amanda patted his back. "That's okay, Carl. We'll get you readin' like a pro in no time." Amanda smiled. Carl grinned back. "My dad tries to help, sometimes he just works a lot. And it's just him and me." Carl said. "Me and him, Carl." Amanda corrected gently.

"I don't have a mom to help me with my homework. Just Miss Annette and Mr. Herschel." Carl added. Amanda's heart broke. Rick was doing the best he can, and Carl was still struggling. Amanda hated broken homes, and Rick's ex-wife was responsible for it. "Don't worry, bud. I'll help you out. We'll fix it." Amanda told him. He grinned widely. Amanda was a total sucker for Carl's smile.

"Miss Amanda, I'm finished." Sophia said quietly. She was a sweetheart, and always did everything quickly. Carl still had trouble, so Amanda helped him through everything. He seemed appreciative, and Sophia ran quietly to the living room to play with a sleeping Scout. Carl looked over at Sophia enviously, and Amanda felt bad for the kid.

"Come on, Carl. How 'bout we take a break, and we'll work on this after dinner?" Amanda suggested. Carl's face lit up. "You mean it? Really? Thanks!" "No problem. I figured we could all use a walk." Amanda said. "Sophia, you and Scout want to take a walk?" Sophia and Scout both looked up. Hearing the word "walk" was the only motivation for Scout to run to the door, with Sophia and Carl trailing along behind her.

"So did you cook with your Mama back home?" Sophia asked as Amanda put the meat in the skillet. "All the time. She taught me everything I knew." Amanda said, smiling. Amanda's mom was the best cook in three counties, and everyone knew it. "When will you see them again?" Sophia asked. Amanda frowned slightly. She missed her parents greatly. She only imagined how Carl felt.

"Thanksgiving, probably. I can't see them as often as I want." Amanda said. Carl patted her back. "Don't worry. I don't get to see my mom either." Carl said matter-of-factly. It was awful. Amanda knew Carl needed a mom. Everyone needed a mom. Just as the meat began to cook, a knock on the front door got Amanda's attention.

"Carol?"Amanda asked she answered the door. Carol looked exhausted, smiling weakly. "Yeah, I just got off work. How was Sophia?" Carol asked. "Perfect as always." Carol smiled. "She won't be needin' to stay tomorrow. Ed's off work." Carol explained. Amanda didn't like that idea, but stayed quiet. "Alright then. So I'll see her on Friday?" Amanda asked. Carol nodded as Amanda hugged Sophia. "See you Friday, kiddo!" Amanda called to her as they walked home. Sophia gave her a weak smile, waving slightly.

Amanda turned to Carl, who was intently watching the stove. It was 6:00, which meant Rick would be there soon.

"Do you think the chicken's ready?" Amanda asked. Carl jumped slightly. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." Amanda said, laughing. Carl laughed, forgetting his panic a moment earlier. "It's ok. I think it could be. I don't know how to tell." Amanda knew the chicken was done, but she showed Carl how to check anyway. Carl helped her set the table, picking up the bowl of potatoes and the basket of biscuits Amanda had made. Carl looked excited, happier than she'd ever seen a kid at a supper table.

"Dad's an ok cook, but he burns stuff a lot."Carl said, laughing. Amanda returned his chuckle.

"Is that so?" She asked. He nodded.

"When my mom left, all he could cook was spaghetti. We had spaghetti every day almost. And he bought a big can of pudding, and we ate it for desert every night."Carl told her.

"How big of a can of pudding did you have?" Amanda asked.

Carl's eyes widened. "112 ounces." He said seriously.

"Where do you even find 112 ounces of pudding?!" Amanda inquired.

"I. Don't. Know." Carl said, looking at the table, "I never want to eat pudding ever again."

Amanda laughed loudly. She could understand. Her Dad had once gotten into buying in bulk. 5 gallons of Vanilla ice cream later, she couldn't stand the thought of it. As they sat down to the table, there was another knock on the door. Amanda asked Carl if he would like to let his dad in, and he nodded. Scout walked with him to the door. Carl opened the door and she saw Rick, standing there, still in uniform.

"Hey, Carl. How was your day?" Rick asked, ruffling Carl's hair.

"AWESOME! Miss Amanda made dinner! We were just about to eat." Carl told his dad.

Rick looked over at Amanda. She smiled warmly. "Actually, we knew you'd be here soon. Would you like to join us? Carl says y'all haven't had chicken in a while."

Rick laughed, looking at Carl. Carl had his smile. "Is that right?" He asked, walking over to the table. He looked hungry. "This looks great. I can't say no." He said, pulling up a chair.

Amanda liked the company. Her family always ate dinner together, every night as far back as she could remember. Like clockwork, her brother got in from football practice, her sister put her guitar down, and Amanda always left her book somewhere else. She loved family dinners. Eating with Carl and Rick made her nostalgic. Carl was, yet again, well behaved, and Amanda complimented him. Amanda had fallen in love with the boy. She had also, over the course of two days, developed a major crush on Rick. She knew it'd never amount to anything, but she liked him, nonetheless. She could tell where the father and son favored one another, and it gave her a warm feeling. She looked exactly like her mother, and it reminded her of home. She missed her family, she missed her hometown, but maybe King County wasn't so bad. Just as she was deep in thought, her concentration was broken. She looked up to see Carl putting his and his father's plates in the sink. Was there anything this kid did that was bad?

"You know, Carl, I do have desert." Amanda said, remembering their conversation earlier.

"I take it he told you about the pudding fiasco?" Rick asked. Amanda nodded, laughing.

"Well, this isn't pudding. I kind of have a soft spot for red velvet cake. I made some yesterday, but I didn't get to eat it, obviously." Amanda said.

"Dad, can we eat desert?" Carl asked, pleading.

Rick looked at Amanda. Amanda looked down, blushing. Rick nodded to Carl.

"Carl, plates are in that cabinet right there. You know where the forks are." Amanda told him.

Rick leaned in toward Amanda. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you wanted us to stay." He grinned widely. Amanda's palms became sweaty, and she swallowed a lump in her throat. This guy didn't miss a beat.

"Well, I'd say you're right,"Amanda said, straightening up, "I like having y'all around. The company is nice."

"The feeling is mutual. I can't cook anything to save my life." Rick admitted.

Carl returned to the table with cake and three plates. Amanda cut them all a piece, and they sat at the table, laughing with one another. It was the nicest Amanda had felt in a very, very long time.

"So Rick," Amanda said, pulling Rick into her room. She whispered, "I noticed Carl is having some major trouble with his reading and English homework."

Rick's face fell. He rubbed the back of his neck furiously. "I know. He was learning to read when his mom left. He quit trying when he realized she wasn't coming back. I don't really know what to do. It's five years, it's like he's stuck." Rick was sheepish. He obviously felt like he'd failed Carl. It was written all over his face.

"I know you're doing the best you can. It's just you around, Rick. You can't be everything. But, I was an English tutor in undergrad. I was gonna offer to help him out. I just didn't wanna say anything around him. He's a really great kid, I don't want him to feel bad." Amanda told him. Rick smiled.

"You really seem to hit it off with Carl." Rick said.

"You've got a great kid. He loves you. He's the most well behaved kid I've ever met." Amanda said. Rick puffed out his chest slightly; the kid obviously meant everything to him.

"It's just him and me. Has been for years. Sometimes I worry that not havin' a mom around is gonna mess him up." Rick admitted.

"Not when he's got such a great dad. Who's Miss Annette and Mr. Herschel?" Amanda asked.

"Herschel's a vet here. I met him a few years ago, his wife, Annette, watches Carl. They're older, though. I hate to keep askin' 'em, but I don't have anyone else, either. All my family moved to Augusta."Rick said. Amanda nodded.

"Well, Rick, if you need someone to watch Carl more, I'd be happy to. Honestly, it's so nice to have company. I miss home, and he's so great."Amanda meant every word.

Rick looked at her, eyes almost misty. If Amanda had been paying attention, she would've noticed the lump in his throat.

"You have no idea what that means to me." He said, barely above a whisper.

"I hate to ask, but, why did his mom leave? I know it's a touchy subject. But Carl is enough of a reason to stick in town as any." Amanda said. Rick's face fell. He knew she'd ask sooner or later. He knew he'd have to tell her. It was like ripping the band-aid off. He had to do it now rather than later. After all, everyone in town knew. She might as well hear it from him.

"Well, Lori and I met in high school. We were sophomores. We dated, and got married a month after we graduated. We were young, but I loved her, you know? We had Carl a year later. I couldn't have been happier. But, Lori just seemed jealous of Carl. I could never figure it out. Lori and I had been havin' problems for a while after that. I couldn't figure out why. I tried talkin', I tried fixin', but nothin' seemed to be working for her. One day, I left for work, and she said, 'Sometimes I wonder if you even care about us at all.' She said it, she said it right in front of Carl and didn't even care that he went to school with that in his head. He was in kindergarten, I mean, imagine going to school like that!" Rick said, trying to keep his voice low. Amanda's face fell. It was only going to get worse.

"Anyway, we'd been havin' trouble. My partner, my best friend since high school, Shane, he said it was a phase, that it'd blow over. I was 'thinkin' too much into it'. I listened. Then one day, Lori seemed like she was havin' a come apart. I came home, and I found the pregnancy test in the trash. It was positive. I couldn't have been happier. I loved Carl, I always wanted more seemed like the world was endin'. I couldn't understand it. The next nine months, it was weird. I kept askin' what I needed to do, how I could help. She just kept lookin' at me like I was this monster. And then things seemed to get better, suddenly. It was like an overnight change. She wanted us to be a family again, and I felt like life was perfect." Rick's eyes were definitely misty now. They sat down on Amanda's bed, and she lightly pat his back. "It get's worse, doesn't it?" Amanda asked. Rick pinched the bridge of his nose and looked up, chuckling slightly.

"Then we had Judith. I swear, she was the most beautiful baby girl I'd ever laid my eyes on. Things were going great for about a month. I had everything. Carl, Judith, Lori. I had a family. Then, one day, I noticed Shane's car was in the driveway when I came home. I walked in, and there they were in the kitchen, all over each other. I saw red. I saw red and slammed Shane into the wall so hard that it left a hole. And that's when I found out." Rick said, face growing cold, almost distant.

"Found out what?" Amanda asked timidly.

"Judith wasn't mine." Rick said coldly.

Amanda gasped. Marriage was absolutely sacred to her. She stood up, rubbing her shoulders. Now she regretted even asking. She felt like the worst person in the world. Tears fell from her eyes, her cheeks were flushed. Lori had cheated on him with his best friend, and led Rick to believe that Judith was his baby girl. How could a person do that?

"Rick..."Amanda whispered. Rick never waivered.

"So, I find out that Lori knew all along, and finally decided that Shane needed to know, that I needed to know. And it killed me. My world was gone. And that wasn't the worst part. Her and Shane, they'd decided they wanted to start a life together, you know, cause that's what you do when you have an affair and have a kid, I guess. And then I was afraid. I was afraid she'd take Carl away from me. I knew Shane was goin' to Macon, I figured that's where she was headed too. And she was, she told me. I was so, so afraid I'd never see Carl. And that's when she told me that she didn't want him. That I loved him more than she did. That she never felt like his parent or whatever crap you say to justify leavin' your kid. She chose Judith over Carl, she chose Shane over me. She said that she'd make sure to keep in touch with Carl. And then she left. And we haven't heard from her. I took her to court, sued for full custody. She gave up her parental rights. Just passed him over to me like he was a tv or somethin'. I'd never hit a woman, but I came very close to smackin' her senseless." Rick said. He was trembling slightly.

"Rick, I know I've only known Carl for a little while. But that kid in there, if I were his mom, I would do anything to be near him. I always, I always wanted kids. You stayed. You are the only one that deserves Carl."Amanda said, grabbing his shoulders. She meant every word. Rick could see her sincerity too.

"Enough of my sob story, it's pretty bad."Rick said, trying to leave the mood.

"Yeah, it is."Amanda chuckled. He seemed relieved that she caught his mood change.

"So, what's the story with you, Miss Amanda? Why is a lady like you here by yourself? I figured I'd be callin' at least a boyfriend yesterday." Rick said. Amanda frowned. Now it was her turn.

"Well, I had a high school sweetheart too."Amanda began, "His name was Michael. I was fourteen when we met. We dated all through high school, through most of college. We got engaged my junior year of college, and we were gonna get married after I graduated in May. I got accepted to the University of Alabama for graduate school, and we were going to move to Tuscaloosa after the wedding. His aunt was an English professor there, we were just gonna live with them a while."

"And then it didn't work out."Rick said quietly.

"And then, he got drunk one night. A month before the wedding. I found out he was cheating on me. And then when I got upset, he walked over, and gave me a black eye. He beat me senseless. He said, 'I don't love you, and I never did.' So I got up, I slashed his tires, I called the cops, and then I sold the ring. And that's why I wound up here. I'd had a scholarship to Georgia State, and so I took it. I took it and I moved, 'cause I needed to get out. And here I am." Amanda shrugged. Rick placed a shoulder over her protectively. Amanda smiled.

"We're glad you're here."Rick told her. She smiled.

"I am, too."Amanda said.

"Carl is the happiest I've seen him years. You did that. I don't know what you did, but I think he's in love with you."Rick laughed. Amanda joined him. They stood up, walking down the hallway, noticing Carl, who had finished his homework, was laying on Scout and watching Mulan.

"Where'd you find that, bud?" Rick asked. Carl looked up, smiling widely.

"Miss Amanda had it. She told me how to put it in."Carl replied.

Rick looked at Amanda curiously. "What? I happen to like Disney movies."Amanda said.

"How old are you?" Rick asked.

"Twenty-three, thanks."Amanda said, sticking out her tongue. "How old are you, old man?" She joked.

"I'll be thirty in a month." He said, laughing. So he wasn't that much older, it was still funny.

"Carl, you 'bout ready to head home?" Rick asked.

"Not really. Can I stay with Miss Amanda tonight?"Carl asked. It took Rick by surprise and he laughed in disbelief. This had never happened before, and he clearly found it entertaining.

"Not tonight, Carl. You got school in the morning."Rick said. Carl mumbled an "okay", not wanting to fuss. He stood up, grabbing his backpack, walking over to the door next to Rick. Rick opened the door, looking back at Amanda.

"You are a godsend, Amanda. Thanks. Would you mind watching him tomorrow too?" Rick asked, afraid to overstep his boundaries.

"I wouldn't mind at all. Actually, if you just want him to start coming here, he's more than welcome. I love having him around."Amanda said. Carl clearly liked that she liked him back. Rick grinned widely.

"So, same time then?"Rick asked.

"Sounds perfect."Amanda replied. Rick stepped forward, and hugged Amanda gently, almost awkwardly.

"I don't wanna mess up your collar bone."Rick said. Amanda smiled.

"I'll be fine, Rick. But thanks."Amanda said.

"Thanks, Amanda. For everything."Rick whispered. Amanda's heart felt like it would beat out of her chest. Rick stepped back, and Carl instantly took the chance to hug Amanda, too.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Amanda. You're really great. I can't wait!" Carl said enthusiastically. Amanda smiled at his sweet face.

She watched Rick and Carl drive away in the blue patrol car, and she felt happy. She had never felt this way about people she didn't know. Rick and Carl, they were her new best friends, and she hated the emptiness that her house had in their absence. Scout went back to sleep on the floor, giving Amanda a look of contentment as she closed her eyes. Amanda sighed, closing her eyes. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket, and noticed a text from Rick.

"_Carl talked about you the whole way home. I think he's your number one fan. Lol"_

Amanda smiled, and began typing back. _"Well, if it makes him feel better, I'm his biggest fan too. :)" _She smiled as she pressed 'send'.

Georgia had definitely not been her first choice. She had felt like a stranger at first, but now, she was beginning to like her decision. It may not be Florence, it may not be Alabama, but King County had it's own charm. She couldn't wait to see how it went, and she couldn't wait to see how her relationship with Rick and Carl would progress. If anything, they were the reason she was falling in love with Georgia, and she hoped that it'd only get better from here.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! Trying to update regularly. Let me know what you think. I'm super excited to write this. Please be kind!**

**Much love!-A**

Chapter 3: Famous in a Small Town

It had been a month since Amanda began watching Carl. His reading and spelling had already vastly improved—so much so that he'd improved two letter grades. Rick couldn't be prouder of Carl, or more grateful to Amanda. Things with Amanda, however, had become increasingly more hectic, and she was beginning to feel the stress of going to graduate school, teaching a freshman survey class, and watching Sophia and Carl. The situation wouldn't have been as bad if she had a car, but unfortunately, she was still without transportation. Because her car was so old, she got a $1200 check from the insurance company, which was barely enough to cover anything. Since then, she'd been alternating between catching a ride with Rick (on days he didn't work), or riding with Hershel and Annette's daughters, Beth and Maggie. Maggie was in the graduate program along with Amanda, and Beth was a junior elementary education major. Beth lived two houses down from Amanda with her new husband, Daryl, who happened to be a friend of Rick's. Amanda had to admit, this town was a lot smaller than Amanda had initially realized; it seemed that everyone knew each other. In fact, the one major similarity between Florence and Ducktown (the small town in King County that she lived in) was that everyone knew each other. She didn't mind it, because it wasn't like she didn't fit in there. However, it seemed that everyone knew her business, often times before she did. Still, though she appreciated the help from Rick, Beth, and Maggie, she still wished she could afford her own vehicle. She was still a few thousand dollars short, and she knew it'd be a while before she could afford even a half-decent vehicle. She hated being broke. One thing that helped her forget her financial trouble was the fact that it was Friday. Today, she had no class to teach, and the kids wouldn't be over till later. She could enjoy the day, and finally catch some down time. As she sat down to grade a stack of the first tests of the semester, her phone buzzed. Who would be texting her at 11:00 am?

"_Hey! Are you free in an hour?"_It was Beth. Didn't she have class today?

"_Yeah. Don't you have class today?"_Amanda replied.

"_I had my 8:00 get canceled. I gotta go by Dale's shop and bring Daryl lunch. I figured I'd invite you, and we could all eat lunch."_One thing about Beth, she was friendly to everyone. Amanda couldn't help but love her for it.

"_Sure. If Daryl doesn't mind me tagging along. I'd be down."_Amanda sent.

"_Yay! I'll pick you up at 12:00. Be ready!"_Beth's text read. Amanda really hoped Daryl would be okay with her tagging along on his lunch date with his wife. Amanda liked Daryl, but he was still really gruff and sometimes came off really harsh. Amanda had no idea was Beth saw in Daryl, but they seemed to work really well. According to Beth, they had met while Beth was still in high school. He had helped out on the farm one summer, and they'd been inseparable ever since, marrying the summer after Beth's sophomore year of college. It was obvious that Beth thought he hung the moon, but it was also obvious that Daryl's whole world revolved around Beth. Amanda had to admit, she wanted what they had. As odd a couple as they were, they loved each other. If Amanda was being honest, she was jealous of both of the Greene girls. Maggie and her fiance, Glenn, were the perfect couple. Amanda learned Maggie and Glenn had met in college, and as soon as Amanda saw the two together, she knew they were absolutely perfect for each other. Amanda had often become the third (or fifth) wheel when the group got together. She was the only single one in the group, despite Maggie and Beth's attempts to help her find a boyfriend. Amanda often felt out-of-place, but she liked hanging out with all of them. Recently, Rick had begun to join them all. Amanda had wanted to get Rick out of the house, and it seemed to do him some good. He was now more confident and vocal, and she liked bringing that out in him. She still had a crush on the sheriff's deputy, though she'd never say it out loud. She wondered if anyone else noticed her obvious infatuation, but ultimately decided she'd hidden it effectively.

At 12:00, just as Beth said, her older Ford F150 pulled up in the driveway. Amanda had thought at first that the truck belonged to Daryl, but she learned that it was actually the truck Beth had gotten on her sixteenth birthday. Beth was a Ford girl, and Amanda always said that's why they were such good friends. After a singular honk, Amanda walked out the door and down her driveway, waving at Beth as she climbed in the cab.

"So, any particular reason you invited me to tag along on you and your husband's lunch date?"Amanda asked, laughing. Beth smiled widely, looking like she was much younger than twenty.

"I just figured you could use the company. 'Specially since Rick'll be there."Beth said, a sly smile tracing her lips. Amanda's heart jumped into her throat. Beth knew.

"So? Why does that matter?"Amanda asked, trying to play dumb.

"'Cause it's obvious he likes you, duh."Beth said, bobbing her head slightly.

"What? No. We're just friends!"Amanda said. Oh, so Beth thought it was Rick who was harboring an infatuation that bordered on obsession, not her.

"Psh, you should see the way he looks at you, Manda. He so likes you. I've been buggin' Daryl for a month to find out anythin' he can. But you know how Daryl is."Beth laughed. Amanda figured that, if it weren't for Beth, Daryl could easily be a hermit in the woods with a hefty criminal record. Beth was the only person he remotely showed interest in.

"Yeah, I bet that went over like a lead balloon."Amanda laughed, rubbing the back of her neck.

"Actually, not as bad as you think."Beth winked in her direction, "Rick likes you."

"What do you mean he 'likes me'?"Amanda asked.

"Trust me. He likes you."Beth said. Beth was up to something. Amanda could tell. Beth was sneaky. That's probably how she managed to get away with dating Daryl for six month undetected.

"Whatever. If he likes me, he'll say something."Amanda said.

"Do you like him?"Beth asked. Oh crap. Amanda didn't know what to say. Lie, lie, lie.

"Yes."Amanda muttered. Dang it, how did she say that out loud?

"I KNEW IT!" Beth said, throwing a playful swat Amanda's way. Amanda laughed at her attempt.

"Not a word, Beth Dixon! Not a word to anyone!" Amanda said. On the outside, she joked. Inwardly, she felt like a criminal hiding a secret. She was panicking.

"I won't say anythin'. I want Rick to man up and ask you out."Beth said.

"Yeah, that's hard when you're first marriage doesn't exactly end well."Amanda said. Beth frowned slightly. She knew what Amanda meant.

"But you're not Lori. You're you. And you love Carl. I think that means everythin' to him."Beth said reassuringly. Amanda smiled at the sentiment.

"Look, I have no idea what he thinks. All I know is that I'm not gonna make the first move. I don't want to look like a creeper and make things awkward."Amanda said.

"Is it weird that he's got a kid and was married?"Beth asked.

"Not at all. Rick's just Rick. Plus, I love Carl. He's the greatest kid ever. I could never have one without the other."Amanda admitted. Beth nodded.

"Well, then, let's just see what happens."Beth said, pulling into the parking space and putting the car in park. They were at Dale's Auto Repair, where Daryl worked as a mechanic. Amanda could see Rick's blue patrol car parked next to them. Her heart skipped a beat. Beth got out of the truck and Amanda followed, Beth catching sight of Daryl and waving profusely.

"Hey there, darlin!" Beth called to her husband, hugging him tightly.

"Hey yourself. Whatcha been up to?"He asked, nodding at Amanda. Geez, that guy was so socially awkward. She was sure he hated her guts.

"Nothin'. My class got cancelled, so it's just me and Amanda."Beth said. Amanda waved awkwardly.

"Well, Rick's here." Daryl said.

"I can see that." Beth said.

Daryl looked at Amanda strangely. Amanda wasn't sure what he was thinking. Then again, she wasn't sure she even wanted to know.

"Rick brought you lunch."Daryl said, his mouth turning upwards into a half smile.

"He knew I was coming?" Amanda asked.

"Yeah, Beth can't help but spill her beans all over the place. I swear, she could kill someone and turn right around yellin' 'LOOK WHAT I DID GUYS!'". Daryl laughed. Amanda laughed back. She knew it was true, Beth had zero sense of discretion.

"Well, I'll play dumb." Amanda laughed. Daryl shrugged, opening the door for Beth and Amanda.

"Beth! So good to see you again!" An older gentleman greeted, pulling her into a hug.

"Hey Dale!"Beth called, "This is my friend, Amanda. She watches Rick Grimes' son. She lives a couple houses down from me."

"It's pleasure to meet you, ma'am. I've heard good things." Dale said, smiling Amanda's way.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too!" Amanda said.

Daryl motioned for the group to follow him to the break room, where Rick was sitting down at the table. As soon as he saw Amanda, he stood up.

"Hey there." Rick said, hugging her.

"Hey yourself."Amanda said.

"So, Beth said she was bringin' you for lunch today. I knew you'd probably packed somethin' but I went ahead and got you a somethin' from Stagg's Deli. I hope you don't mind."Rick said sheepishly. Amanda smiled.

"Rick, that's so sweet of you. Really. Stagg's is my favorite!"Amanda said, seeming to ease Rick's tension. Beth and Daryl sat down first, with Rick pulling out Amanda's chair for her. Amanda had never had anyone do that for her before. She thought her heart might explode.

"So what's for lunch?" Daryl asked Beth, opening up the lunch box Beth handed him.

"Chicken salad, just the way you like it. An apple, potato chips, and lemonade."Beth said, biting into her own sandwich.

"You know the way to my heart."Daryl said.

"Yes I do."Beth giggled.

Amanda looked down at her own food. Stagg's was the first place she'd eaten at in town, and since then, she ate there with Rick on his days off. It had been Rick's favorite place, and it had become Amanda's as well. She opened the box and found what she always got: a small hamburger and a small order of fries, with a packet of ketchup. She took the top bun off, getting ready to take the tomato and onion off, and realized that it was already gone.

"You remembered how I order it." Amanda said, turning to Rick. Rick took a sip of his soda.

"Of course. You hate tomatoes."Rick said, without missing a beat. Beth gave Amanda a look that said 'I told you so', but Amanda pretended to ignore her. She couldn't believe Rick had remembered that little detail about her. Maybe he was noticing her just as intently as she was him.

"You're so sweet, Rick."Amanda said.

"It's nothin'."Rick replied, smiling slightly.

"So how was your day?" Amanda asked Rick.

"Well, I got a call this mornin' that there was a man raisin' all kinds of hell over at the hospital. Ed Peletier was over there screamin' at Carol in front of God n' everybody."Rick said. That explained why Amanda didn't like Ed.

"I don't like Ed. Why was he yellin' at Carol?"Amanda asked.

"She didn't tell you?"Rick asked.

"Tell me what?"Amanda replied.

"Carol kicked Ed out three days ago. She wants a divorce."Rick told her. Amanda was surprised. Carol had been scarce the past few days, but couldn't figure out why. Now she knew.

"She never told me."Amanda said.

"Well, Ed has a long history of beatin' the crap out of her when the mood so strikes him."Rick said matter-of-factly. Amanda had no idea.

"Seriously? I never knew."Amanda said.

"She never talked about it. The last big incident happened in July. Beth was actually the one to call me. She saw Ed draggin' Carol around the yard, smackin' her face every few steps."Rick said. Amanda's heart broke for Carol. That was terrible situation, and Amanda couldn't help but feel sorry for Carol and Sophia.

"I hope she stays away from him."Amanda said.

"Oh believe me, I think she will this time." Rick said.

The four ate their lunch in relative quiet, and Amanda got the feeling that they were hiding something. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she felt like there was something they weren't telling her. Amanda got up to throw everyone's bags in the trash, and noticed Rick grinning widely at Beth.

"What are you two grinning about?" Amanda asked.

"Who says we're grinning?" Beth replied.

"You're a terrible liar."Amanda told her. Beth laughed.

"Maybe we have a surprise."Rick said.

"And maybe we're excited about it." Beth added.

"What is it?"Amanda asked.

"If we told you, it wouldn't be a surprise."Rick said, making a funny face at her. She rolled her eyes.

"But, we can show you in a second! Daryl, can you go get her surprise ready?" Beth asked Daryl, smiling widely.

"Sure thing." Daryl said, kissing her forehead quickly. He walked out of the room, and Amanda could see him talking to Dale.

Beth looked like a little kid who was eager to show their parents a good report card. Rick just looked like a parent who was waiting on their kid to open a present.

"You're going to love this!" Beth exclaimed.

"Beth, don't give it away. Geez, you'd make a horrible undercover cop." Rick joked. Beth frowned.

"I can't help that I'm excited!" She said, sticking out her tongue.

Rick laughed, "You get excited over everythin'."

"Yes I do." Beth said.

"You and Daryl are the complete opposite." Amanda said, looking at Beth.

"Well have you met him? Someone has to get excited!" Beth laughed. Amanda and Rick joined her, they knew exactly what she meant.

The door to the break room opened, and Daryl peaked his head inside. "Y'all ready? Ain't got all day." He said. Rick and Beth looked at each other, and nodded at Daryl.

"Come on with us, Amanda. We've got somethin' for you." Rick said, placing his hand on Amanda's back, motioning to the door with the other.

"I'm nervous." Amanda said quietly. Beth turned around, smiling again. "Don't be, you'll love it!" She exclaimed. Amanda loved Beth's enthusiasm.

Rick walked up behind Amanda, covering her eyes with his hands. He guided her out to where they wanted her to be, and then they stopped.

"She ready?" Daryl asked.

"I think so." Rick replied.

"Amanda, are you ready for your surprise?" Beth asked.

"I think so." Amanda said. What did they have waiting for her? She was internally panicking. She had no idea what they had planned for her.

"Okay, three, two, one." Rick counted down, taking his hands off her eyes after the countdown was finished. Amanda gasped, stepping back slightly. Her eyes filled with tears, and she walked backwards into Rick. She was crying heavily now, she couldn't believe what they had done.

There, right in front of her, was a black Ford F150 extended cab. It wasn't brand new, but it wasn't old either. It had a red bow on the hood, with a note in the windshield wiper. Amanda cried harder as Rick put his hands on her shoulders.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Y—you d—d—did this for m—me?" Amanda sniffled. She was doing the ugly cry. She could feel it. Crap. There was no unseeing this.

"We knew you needed a car. Rick knew you were ridin' to school with me an' Maggie every mornin' just about, and we all decided that we'd help you get on the road again." Beth explained. Amanda cried harder at this. They had actively gone out of their way to help her out. No one had ever done that for her before.

"H—h—how? It's perfect. I could never afford anything like this. Not now at least." Amanda said through sniffles.

"Yeah, Beth mentioned that. She said you were in a bind, and after you had that old truck of yours towed here, I knew there was no way you were drivin' it again." Daryl said, "So I brought it up to Rick."

"And, well, I was gonna sell it anyway, cause I got a newer one. So when Daryl brought it up, I figured I'd get them to help me out. No more hitchin' rides anymore. It's all yours." Rick said.

Rick had just given her his truck. For free. No one had ever, ever been that kind to Amanda before. Amanda honestly thought no one did anything like that for anybody. She couldn't believe it. She turned around, hugging Rick tightly, and kissed his cheek.

"Rick, you have no idea how much this means to me. You really don't."Amanda whispered in his ear.

"I probably don't, but the look on your face was sure worth it." Rick whispered back.

Amanda turned to Daryl next, and gave him a hug. He grunted at first, but didn't protest too much.

"Daryl, thanks. I honestly thought you didn't like me." Amanda said, chuckling.

Daryl grunted. "Eh, you're not so bad. Don't mention it."

Amanda went next to Beth, hugging her tightly, and Beth reciprocated. "Beth, you are the sweetest person I know. I can't believe it." Amanda said. Beth's eyes got misty.

"You're like, my best friend. I was so excited to help Rick." Beth said. Amanda loved that Beth thought of her as her best friend. Amanda had never really had one before. It made her feel at home.

"Daryl, will you help me with the truck? I think I knocked the mirror off." Beth said, trying to create a cover to leave Rick and Amanda alone. Daryl shrugged, and trailed off behind her. Suddenly, Amanda and Rick were left alone, and Amanda's mind was racing.

"I don't know how I could ever repay you."Amanda said.

"You have given me and Carl so much to look forward to. He's actually doin' well in school, and we eat at your house nearly every night. You do so much for us, just 'cause you're a good person. You don't have to pay me back."Rick said warmly.

Amanda chuckled, shifting on her feet.

"But, on second thought, there is somethin' you could do for me." Rick said, rubbing the back of his neck, the side of his mouth turning upward.

"What's that?" Amanda asked.

"Go out with me tomorrow night." Rick said. Amanda was sure her heart stopped.

"What?" Amanda asked, not sure if she heard him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. It was stupid, I know. I'm so stupid..." Rick muttered, backing away from her.

"No, Rick. I was just making sure I heard you. I'd be happy to go out with you. I'd love to, actually." Amanda tried to reassure him. He looked like he was going to have a stroke.

"R—really?" He asked timidly.

"Yeah, I'd really like to." Amanda smiled, causing Rick to smile back.

"So, I could pick you up at six thirty maybe?" Rick asked.

"Six thirty is perfect." Amanda replied.

"Great. So I'll pick you up tomorrow at six thirty. Maybe we can figure it all out this evenin'?" Rick asked.

"Sure." Amanda said.

"I'll see you then." Rick said.

"I'm looking forward to it, Rick." Amanda assured it.

"Me too. I'll see you this evenin'." Rick said.

"You too. Thanks, Rick. For everything." Amanda said, hugging him again.

"Thank you too, Amanda. See ya later." Rick said as he pulled away, heading back to work.

"See ya." Amanda said, waving.

After sharing the details with Beth, Amanda drove her new truck home, having a difficult time seeing the road through tears. She was starting to love Georgia very much, but she realized that it wasn't so much Georgia that she loved, it was the people she'd met along the way. She couldn't wait for tomorrow, and she couldn't wait to see Rick. When she got home, she sat down on the couch, taking in the events of the last two hours. Her heart fluttered, and she felt butterflies in her stomach. It was then that she realized something that had been obvious for weeks. The truth was, she had fallen hopelessly in love with Rick Grimes, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Her only fear is that Rick wouldn't feel the same way.


	4. Chapter 4

**Big chapter! Your reviews are so kind. It really means a lot, guys! **

**Here's some song titles of the music used in this chapter:**

**Wayfaring Stranger**

**Sing to Me of Heaven **

**(Both gospel songs, and yes, I do sing them :P)**

**Skinny Love by Bon Iver/Birdy**

**Young and Beautiful by Lana del Rey**

**Give Me Love by Ed Sheeran**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 4: Fly Away From Here

The alarm buzzed, too early for Amanda's liking. Rick had stayed till nearly one o'clock in the morning the night before. Amanda had found out that Carl had never seen "The Lion King", and she wouldn't have it. She dug through her collection of DVD's, found her special edition copy, and she found a little bit of satisfaction with herself when Carl asked her to rewind "Hakuna Matata" three times. She teased Rick that he had left out a large portion of Carl's life education, to which he replied that he most certainly had not. He then proceeded to ask Carl to quote his favorite movie, to which Carl started quoting Rooster Cogburn. Amanda conceded that any John Wayne movie was acceptable, but could not take the place of Mr. Walt Disney himself. The debate when on for an hour, until they realized that Carl had already found Amanda's new copy of "How to Train Your Dragon", and was totally engrossed. He laid in the floor, wiggling his sock feet, head on Scout as he laughed to himself.

"Scout's like Toothless!" He said, petting the large dog.

Rick and Amanda smiled, watching Carl slowly drift off to sleep. That was when Rick decided it was probably best to get the boy home. Amanda hated to see them go, but she knew that he'd be picking her up later the next afternoon anyway. So, she rubbed her eyes, sitting up, turning off the alarm on her phone. Scout was already awake, and had finished off the food in her bowl. Amanda was glad she'd decided to invest in an automatic feeder; that was Scout didn't feel the need to jump on the bed and stare at her until she got up. Scout was the most passive aggressive animal she'd ever met, and it served as a source of frustration quite often.

"Morning, Scout." Amanda greeted the large dog. Scout walked over slowly, sitting down on Amanda's feet. Amanda giggled, petting her.

"Do you wanna go out, girl?" Amanda asked. The dog perked up, walking toward the door. Amanda let the dog out, and watched her trot out to the back yard. Amanda walked over to the cabinet, grabbing a breakfast bar while she made coffee. She had never been a big breakfast eater, so something small could last for hours. She checked the time on the stove, it was 9:30. She sighed. She and her younger sister, Miranda, could sleep all day if they didn't have anywhere to be. It was one of the few things they had in common. Suddenly, Amanda missed Miranda. She hadn't seen her since June, and wouldn't see her for another two months at Thanksgiving. Amanda mulled over this thought, until a buzz from her phone jostled her back to reality.

"_Morning." _It was from Rick. Amanda smiled.

"_Morning yourself." _Amanda replied.

"_Sorry we stayed so late. Carl is still asleep lol." _That poor kid, Amanda thought. He wanted to stay up late like the adults, but he was out like a light on his own no later than 11:30 even when he tried.

"_If Scout hadn't woke me up, I could probably stay in bed all day. Haha."_ It was true, Amanda could have definitely slept till noon-thirty at least.

"_Well, I'm an early bird. I have a surprise for you tonight. Be ready by 3:00."_ Was Rick's text. After the last surprise, which was currently sitting in her driveway, she was terrified of the prospect of something else. It's not that she didn't appreciate Rick's kindness, but she certainly wasn't used to it. Michael was never, ever that kind to her. The only surprises she got was when he was drunk and angry, and those were the kind that she tried to cover up with layers of makeup, but she never really could hide. In truth, even the simple fact that Rick did things like open the door, pull her chair out, and help her set the table were new revelations. The more she thought about it, the more she realized Michael was terrible, and she kicked herself for staying with him for nearly eight years.

"_I hope it's nothing huge, lol. Don't worry, I'll be ready." _Amanda sent back.

"_Good. I've got to go up to Hershel's with Carl. I'll see you at 3."_Rick was so formal when he sent her texts. It was actually kind of cute.

"_Awesome. I'll see you then!" _Amanda replied.

She sighed. She only had a few hours to get ready. She made quick work of showering, but even that proved dangerous. She tripped in the shower while shaving, causing her to slice her leg open. She was bleeding profusely, and remembered she was out of band-aids. "Crap!" She said out loud. She made life ten times harder than it probably needed to be. She put toilet paper on the affected area, and decided it'd be a better bet to walk to Beth's and see if she had anything. She slipped on her shoes, hair still wet, and walked out the front door. The large cut on her shin burned. This was not going to be fun. She walked up to the Dixon's small little white house. It definitely had been decorated by Beth, with rose bushes surrounding the front of the house, and window boxes in the two front windows. On the front door was a large wreath, with a wooden "D" in the middle. Amanda knocked on the door, hoping Beth was awake. Daryl answered the door, looking a little disheveled.

"What are you doin' here this time of mornin'?" He asked. Not harshly, just inquisitively. Amanda motioned to her leg, feeling blood between her fingers as she realized she'd bled through the toilet paper.

"Is Beth here? I kind of had a mishap this morning. I need a band-aid." Amanda replied. He backed up a step, leaning his head back.

"Hey Beth!" He called, "Amanda's gonna bleed all over our livin' room!" Daryl had such a way with words, Amanda thought. Beth came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her pants. She was still in her pajamas.

"What on earth happened to you?!" Beth asked.

"Shaving accident." Amanda said sheepishly. Beth motioned for her to sit down on the couch, and she did.

"I'll be right back. Daryl, can you go finish cleanin' the kitchen for me? I 'preciate it." Beth said, looking at her husband.

"No problem. Amputate her leg or whatever you gotta do." Daryl said, waving his hand. He was definitely an odd one.

Beth walked down the hall to the bathroom, and Amanda could hear her rummaging through a drawer. The Dixon's house wasn't huge, but it had definitely been influenced by Beth. The living room was a bright, happy shade of blue, with an old coffee table, and older furniture. On the mantle was pictures of Beth's family: one of her with her parents and siblings, another of her and Maggie. One was with Daryl and another man, which Amanda assumed was his brother, Merle. Then there was a picture of just Beth and Maggie at Maggie's college graduation, and above the mantle was a large, framed wedding picture of Beth and Daryl. Amanda smiled, noticing everything about it. Beth's light blonde hair was down, with two small braids on either side of her head. She had a simple white lace dress that was calf length, with a light pink sash around the waist and cap sleeves. Daryl wore just a plain white dress shirt and black dress pants, and his shirt sleeves were rolled up. He was kissing her cheek, holding her close, and she looked as if she couldn't smile any bigger. Amanda smiled. This was so Beth and Daryl. Beth was a beautiful bride, and Daryl looked like the vision of happiness. Beth returned from the bathroom with a big band-aid and a bottle of peroxide. She sat next to Amanda on the couch.

"When exactly did you two get married?" Amand asked.

"The end of May, after finals were done." Beth replied, taking the bloody tissue from Amanda's leg.

"You guys look beautiful." Amanda told her. Beth smiled widely.

"Thanks. Most girls want a big ol' church wedding, but I knew Daryl would flip out. It was pretty perfect, though." Beth said.

"What'd y'all do?" Amanda asked.

"We got married on Mama and Daddy's farm. Maggie was my maid of honor. Rick was best man. Carl was our ring bearer, and my brother Shawn's little girl Katie was our flower girl. It was small, and Mama and I made the food, we strung some lights around the porch, set up a tent in the yard, but it was perfect." Beth said. That sounded just like Beth. She had a simple beauty about her that just made everyone around her smile.

"You know, a few years ago I never thought I'd even be able to marry Daryl." Beth said, cleaning Amanda's cut.

"Why?" Amanda asked.

"Well, Daryl is nine years older than me. We met when I was seventeen." Beth said. If they'd dated then, Daryl would've come off looking like a dirty old man.

"Wow. That's quite a gap." Amanda said, biting her lip. Beth laughed.

"Yeah, and I was crazy about him. I guess it was because I couldn't have him. But, we were friends first. Daryl and I had it out pretty bad once, after he caught me drinkin'. No one was home, so I convinced him to play a drinkin' game with me. He got drunk and was so ugly to me that any normal person would've smacked him. But somehow, we were best friends after that." Beth said.

"That's a really weird start." Amanda laughed. Beth chuckled to, shrugging.

"We finally started dating after I graduated high school. I convinced him he wasn't a creep for liking me. We dated under the radar for six months, but you already knew that part. Everyone pitched a fit when they found out. Rick was the only one to keep the peace." Beth admitted. Amanda smiled.

"How? What'd he do?" Amanda asked.

"He talked to my daddy. He told him basically that, if anyone was gonna take care of me, it'd be Daryl. He told Daddy that he'd known Daryl for years, and that honestly, Daryl had never even dated in his memory." Beth laughed.

"Really?" Amanda thought Daryl was probably wild before Beth calmed him down.

"Honestly, Daryl had never had a girlfriend before me. Never even kissed a girl. He always said that as soon as we got together, he knew I was it. Him and my dad eventually started getting along again. It all worked out." Beth explained. Beth's story was like a fairytale to Amanda. It made her jealous of how perfect it was.

"I always wanted somethin' like that." Amanda told her. Beth smiled.

"You gotta have your own love story, girl. But I wanna watch this one play out. When's he pickin' you up?" Beth asked.

"3:00. I have nothing to wear at all. Or, at least I have no idea what to wear."Amanda said, shrugging her shoulders. Beth grinned widely.

"You shouldn't have told me that. Now I get to play dress up."Beth said.

"By all means. I have no idea what I'm doing." Amanda chuckled.

Beth stood up, helping her off the couch. Beth walked to the kitchen, kissing Daryl on the cheek.

"I'm going to help Amanda get ready for her date with Rick. I'll be back in a bit, hon. Love you." She told him. He nodded.

"Love you too, Bethy. Now go on, you're messin' up my clean kitchen." He said, shooing her out. Amanda grinned. If they were any cuter, she'd puke a rainbow.

Beth grabbed Amanda's wrist, leading her out the door. Beth tore apart Amanda's closet, finding a pair of denim capris and a dark purple sleeveless top. Amanda had changed several times before finally settling on it, after Beth insisted that the purple would look great on her tanned skin. Beth said dark purple was made for people with dark hair like Amanda's. Beth even went so far as to help her fix her hair and makeup. Amanda never really dolled herself up, but she liked dressing up occasionally. Amanda had always been more of a tomboy, but occasionally, she did like to turn heads. She just hoped she'd do that with Rick. By the time they were done, it was already 2:00. Amanda had grown more nervous the closer time got, and she wasn't sure what to do.

"Don't be nervous, Amanda. You got this." Beth said, hugging her.

"I'm worried I'll mess it up." Amanda confessed. She was afraid she'd blurt out something like "I'm in love with you." She seemed to lose her brain function when Rick was around.

"Amanda, you won't mess it up. Just be yourself. It'll be great." Beth said. Amanda nodded as Beth hugged her, saying goodbye before she left. Amanda didn't like being alone when she was anxious. She walked down the hall into the living room, sitting down at her small upright piano near the kitchen. She loved music; always had. She played several instruments, she just hadn't had lots of time to do it lately. After a mortifying concert with her band in college, she'd quit playing for people. She only did it when she was sure no one would hear her. She uncovered the keys, and sat down. She plunked out a few keys, before starting on a familiar gospel song.

"_I'm going home, to see my father, _

_I'm going there, no more to roam,_

_I'm only going over Jordan; _

_I'm only going over home." _

She forgot how much she missed playing, so she played another song.

"_Sing to me of Heaven,_

_let me fondly dream, _

_of it's golden glory, _

_of its pearly gleam; _

_Sing to me when shadows _

_of the evening fall_

_Sing to me of Heaven, _

_sweetest song of all." _

After she'd sang nearly every gospel song she could think of, she started down the stuff she used to play for people. She closed her eyes, trying to remember the words.

"_And I told you to be patient,_

_And I told you to be fine,_

_And I told you to be balanced,_

_And I told you to be kind,_

_And in the morning I'll be with you,_

_But it will be a different kind,_

_'Cause I'll be holding all the tickets,_

_And you'll be owning all the fines."_

She had completely gotten lost in all the music. Her eyes were closed, she didn't have to search for the keys. She began playing one of her absolute favorites, and was at the bridge.

"_Dear Lord, when I get to heaven,_

_please let me bring me my man._

_When he comes, tell me that you'll let him in,_

_Father, tell me if you can._

_Oh that grace, oh that body, _

_oh that face, makes me want to party._

_He's my sun, he makes me shine like diamonds..." _

She could hear Rick clearing his throat. She almost fell off the piano bench. She turned around, and he looked apologetic, realizing he'd scared her.

"You snuck up on me." Amanda whispered.

"I'm so sorry. I heard you playing. I kind of listened for a while." Rick admitted. Her eyes grew wide.

"How much did you hear?" She asked nervously.

"Just this song, I promise. That's an odd secret to keep though." He said, grinning. Amanda rubbed her neck nervously.

"I don't like playing in front of people." Amanda said quietly. He placed a hand on her shoulder, making her contact.

"If it means anything, I really like that song. You've got a beautiful voice." He said. Amanda could feel herself blushing. He had the ability to make any rational thought leave her mind.

"Thanks."She muttered.

He smiled. "Are you ready to go?" He asked. She nodded. He helped her up, opening the front door for her. She didn't think she could ever get used to that.

"So what's the plan?" Amanda asked. Rick grinned widely.

"You'll see." He said.

Amanda was nervous. She was afraid he'd planned something entirely too elaborate, and that it'd make her extremely uncomfortable. He'd already surprised her by picking her up in a '69 Chevy Camaro instead of the blue Crown Victoria that she'd grown used to.

"So, is this yours?" Amanda asked, breaking the silence.

"Yep. I rebuilt it when I was twenty one." Rick said, obviously proud.

"You know a good bit abut cars." Amanda said.

He nodded. "I used to work for Dale before I became a deputy. That's how I know Daryl. Daryl's been workin' there for Dale since he was sixteen years old. I used to want to own my own restoration shop." Rick told her.

"What happened?" Amanda asked.

"Eh, I liked law enforcement better. I like being a peacekeeper." Rick said.

"I can see that. You're a good deputy." Amanda said. Rick smiled, patting her on the leg.

"It means a lot. Sometimes I wonder if I'm doin' the right thing. 'Specially 'cause Carl is so young." Rick said, biting his lip.

"Carl sees you as a good man, someone people count on. You're his hero, Rick." Amanda told him. Rick smiled widely, eyes lighting up.

"Speaking of Carl, where is he?" Amanda asked.

"With Hershel and Annette. He's gonna be ridin' horses and helpin' Hershel. Carl loves it." Rick explained. Amanda giggled.

"So, where are we going?" Amanda asked, trying to pretend like she didn't know he was driving toward Atlanta.

"I figured we'd go play in the city today." Rick said. Amanda smiled. That sounded like a lot of fun. Little did she know what he had in mind. He told her to close her eyes, and she nervously complied. She didn't want him going out of his way for her, but that ship had already sailed when he gave her his old truck. She felt the car slow to a stop, and Rick said excitedly "Open your eyes!"

Well, Rick had done it again.

There she was, staring right at Turner Field. He'd managed to score late season Atlanta Braves tickets. Dang it, could he stop being such a freaking great guy? They went in to the stadium, sitting in the nosebleeds. Every year, her family went to Atlanta to watch the Braves play. Her dad hated sports, but her mother had been the most winning softball coach in the state of Alabama. They always watched baseball, and Amanda always preferred the nosebleeds.

"I know the seats are high up..." Rick began apologetically.

"Rick, these are perfect. I love the nosebleeds. Seriously. These are my favorite." Amanda stopped him. He seemed like he wasn't used to a girl being okay with the little things.

"Can I ask a question?" Amanda asked.

"Hmm?" Rick looked up from his game day program.

"Don't get upset, 'cause I'm not meaning it this way...But was Lori high maintenance?" Amanda continued her question. He seemed puzzled that she'd brought it up, but nodded.

"I worked two jobs so she could have the right house in the right neighborhood." He began, "She cleaned out my bank account when she left."

If Amanda ever saw Lori, she would personally punch that woman in the throat.

"Rick, please understand, that stuff like this, this is a big deal. You may think it's not, but, no one has ever done stuff like this for me. Michael sure as heck never did. I never got to do fancy stuff like this." Amanda said. Rick laughed, looking surprised.

"This is a big deal to you?" He asked.

"The fanciest date Michael and I ever went on was going with his parents to Birmingham one time to the mall. And I bought everything I got there." Amanda told him.

He seemed genuinely surprised.

"I don't understand how someone could treat you like that." Rick said.

"I could say the same to you." Amanda replied, not missing a beat. They sat back, and Rick gave Amanda his Braves cap to keep the sun out of her eyes. He seemed genuinely unsure of what to do, like a nervous kid. Amanda couldn't believe all the trouble he'd gone through for her. Still, Amanda was sure he wasn't quite as head-over-heels for her as she was for him, but she sat back, enjoying his company. He had timidly placed a hand on her knee, and Amanda was sure her heart would explode.

When the game was over, and the Braves had beaten the Phillies, Rick and Amanda walked back to the car. He'd closed the distance between them, walking closer to her, but then, he did something that made Amanda nearly collapse into the parking lot: he reached over and grabbed her hand.

It was so innocent, so sweet. He had no agenda, no ill intentions. He was just Rick. Amanda wanted to grab him by the collar and kiss him in front of everyone, but she knew that'd probably end badly. So, she let him open the car door for her, and then he walked over to his side, getting in.

"So, I was thinkin', maybe we could grab somethin' to eat?" He suggested. Amanda nodded.

"I know just the place." He said. Amanda prayed it wasn't one of those really fancy restaurants. To her relief, it wasn't. It was a sports bar.

"It's my favorite place to eat here." Rick explained, "But I had Beth swipe this from your closet. You might want to put it on." He said, grinning. She took a look at the thing in his hand. It was her favorite Alabama football jersey.

"The game comes on at 7, right?" He asked. Amanda nodded. She'd had ESPN set up to let her know what was happening, because she knew she'd be out.

Rick revealed a Georgia Bulldogs shirt underneath his button up. Georgia was playing before Alabama. Amanda got excited, and changed in the car. They hurried into the sports bar, getting seated and ordering so that they wouldn't have to miss the games. Georgia was already beating LSU when they walked in, but it was still only the third quarter.

Amanda couldn't remember having this much fun with someone before. Rick didn't take things too seriously, and he loved to laugh, just like she did. She rooted for Georgia until their victory, with a last minute field goal. Rick cheered along with nearly everyone else, and then the Alabama game came on. He cheered right along with Amanda, and she couldn't help but notice how beautiful his smile was. It was the same smile Carl had, and she loved watching it. She noticed how handsome he was, but how worn he looked in some spots. He looked like someone who'd had a hard time in life, but he didn't let it beat him. If she were honest, she was paying far more attention to Rick than she was the game, and he seemed to reciprocate the feeling. They stayed until halftime, when Amanda suggested they get some fresh air. Rick nodded, and they got up, Rick walking behind Amanda.

"There was one more thing I had planned." Rick said, pulling off on a county road when they hit the King County border.

"What's that?" Amanda asked. Rick smiled. "You'll see." Is all he would say. He was sneaky, she had to give him that. He pulled up at an old rock quarry, next to the water.

"I used to come here all the time. Daryl and I still fish out here." Rick said, getting out of the car. Amanda wasn't sure about being in such a remote location. She'd had bad experiences with it before with Michael. But, she trusted Rick, even as he pulled something out of the back seat.

"What's that?" She asked nervously. He held it up, showing her it was iPod speakers. He set it up on the hood, pressing play. The song was familiar, and Amanda wondered how Rick had heard of Ed Sheeran.

"Beth helped me out. She said you liked this song. Will you dance with me?" He asked, extending a hand. Amanda blushed, stepping forward to grab it. Beth was sneakier than she thought. The song played as Rick held Amanda, and they danced together slowly. As the chorus came, he sang the words low enough that Amanda almost didn't hear. His eyes were closed, and Amanda watched him as he sang.

"_Give a little time to me or burn this out,_

_We'll play hide and seek to turn this around,_

_All I want is the taste that your lips allow,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, oh give me love,_

_My, my, my, my, give me love"_

Amanda couldn't help it. It was now or never, she thought. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. He looked surprised, but grinned slightly. He leaned in slightly, placing a kiss on her lips. If Amanda hadn't been paying attention, she might have missed it. She could tell he was nervous. This time, Amanda kissed him back, trying to keep composure. They separated, their foreheads touching.

"I've wanted to do that for a while now." Amanda admitted. Rick smiled.

"Me too. Since I saw you sittin' on the side of the road that day, really." Rick said. Amanda smiled.

They stayed out there till just before sunrise, dancing to nearly every song they could think of, and then watching the stars on the hood of Rick's car. He held her hand in his, slowly drifting off to sleep as the sun approached the horizon. Amanda leaned up, observing Rick's sleeping frame. She smiled to herself, thinking about how lucky she was, after everything she'd been through. She leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. He didn't wake up, and Amanda laid her head on his chest. She smiled, and only one thought came to her mind.

"I love you." She said, pulling him close as he slept. She closed her eyes, feeling sleepy herself.

"I love you too." She heard him say.

Then she panicked as the realization hit her.

She'd said she loved him out loud.

And he'd said it back.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Anxiety

Amanda couldn't focus the rest of the weekend, making herself sick because she'd accidentally said she loved Rick. It was a terrifying thought, that someone might love her back. Her main concern was that Rick was saying it back to appease her; that he didn't really mean it. Michael's words reverberated in her head, _"I don't love you and I never did."_ Though Beth had said she should talk to Rick about it, it seemed that Rick had no idea. He seemed to pretend like nothing had happened, and it was making Amanda worry. Things had seemed fairly normal over the next week, with Rick and Carl joining Amanda every day except for Wednesday, when Rick had to work so Carl stayed the night. Sophia had started staying with Amanda again on that Tuesday too, though she appeared shaken and disheveled. Carol hadn't divulged many details, and Amanda didn't want to ask. The week went well, with Rick, Amanda, and Carl going to see a movie on Saturday night, and with church on Sunday morning. Rick had admitted to Amanda that he'd quit attending church after he and Lori split up, but it was more out of anger than anything else. Everything still seemed fine between the two, though Amanda had noticed he hadn't said he loved her since their first date, which was a week ago.

When Monday morning rolled around, things still seemed fairly tame, until Amanda got a phone call from Carol.

"Hello, Amanda?" Carol asked.

"Hey, what's up?" Amanda asked.

"Listen, Ed's been causing some trouble. He keeps showing up at Sophia's school, trying to take her. He's getting worse, and I know I can't be there all the time. If Ed shows up today, do not let him take her. Don't. Let. Him. He isn't safe. Don't even answer the door, just call the cops. I honestly think he'll try something when Sophia leaves school." Carol explained, her voice filled with worry.

Amanda bit her lip, walking back to her bedroom. She pulled open the door to her nightstand, taking out a Taurus .357. She checked to make sure it was loaded. It was, just like she always kept it.

"Carol, you have my word. Ed won't cause her any trouble. Or you, for that matter." Amanda promised.

"I'm just worried..." Carol began.

"Carol, listen to me, Sophia is safe here. If he wants to cause trouble, I'll give him trouble. But he's going to leave Sophia alone." Amanda said.

"Thanks. I'm just worried." Carol said.

"I know, but don't you don't have to be. Both of you are safe here." Amanda said.

"Look, I have to go. Thanks for everything, Amanda." Carol told her.

"No problem. I'll see you tonight." Amanda said, saying goodbye.

"You too. Bye." Carol said.

When Sophia and Carl got back from school, Amanda looked up and down the street, looking for Ed. When she didn't see him, she let the kids into the house, closing the door, and locking it. She wasn't too worried that Ed would make an appearance, but just in case, she kept her pistol in the closet on the top shelf.

"How're we doin' on homework?" Amanda asked.

"Nothing but spelling words today!" Carl exclaimed.

"Awesome. Let's go over them." Amanda said. The kids nodded. They walked over to the table, and Amanda called out the spelling words to the children. Sophia aced it no problem, but Carl was still suck on "capitalism". She made the kids a snack, taking the plate over to the table. Carl smiled widely, and Sophia muttered a quiet "thank you."

Everything seemed normal, then the color drained from Sophia's face as she saw someone come to the door.

Ed.

Amanda gathered the kids up and walked toward the back door, squatting down to make eye contact with them.

"Kids, you guys are gonna run out the back door, and you're gonna run as fast as you can over to Mr. and Mrs. Dixon's house. Run as fast as y'all can and don't stop for anything, do you hear me? Not a thing." Amanda said sternly. They nodded as Amanda opened the door. They ran as fast as they could out the back door, opening the gate to the fence and running out. Amanda walked to the front door, unlocking it. Ed was staring her down, reeking of alcohol.

"Hey Ed. What can I do for you?" Amanda asked.

"Get outta my way. I saw Sophia get off the bus. I know she's here." Ed said, slurring his words.

"She's not here, Ed. Even if she is, you're drunk. You don't need to be here." Amanda said, trying to close the door. Ed caught it, slamming it open. His head turned, and he caught sight of Sophia and Carl running toward Beth's front door.

"SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE 'EM RUN AWAY, HUH? CAROL MAKE YOU DO THAT? SOPHIA! GET THE HELL OVER HERE!" He yelled, stumbling his way to Beth's house. Amanda ran behind him, able to outrun him in a few strides. Being a track runner in high school was paying off for her. Amanda ran into Beth's house and slammed the door behind her, locking it.

"Beth, get on the phone and call 911. Call them right now. And then you call Daryl and you tell him to get here. Now." Amanda said. Beth nodded, grabbing her phone. Amanda yelled for the kids, seeing them peek out from the hall.

"Kids, you get in the closet and you hide. You don't come out till the cops get here. Hide and don't come out at all until we say it's okay." Amanda said. The nodded, running back to Beth and Daryl's bedroom. Amanda panicked as Ed banged on the door.

"OPEN THE DAMN DOOR! OPEN IT NOW! I'LL BREAK IT DOWN!"Amanda could hear Ed screaming. She grabbed her cell phone and text Carol.

"_Ed is here. We're at the Dixon's house. Called the cops." _Amanda sent. She could still hear Ed banging on the door, and she saw Beth peeking out from the hall. Beth motioned for her to move out of the way. Amanda sent another text, this time to Rick.

"_Ed Peletier is here. At Beth's. Hurry!" _

Beth opened the door, and saw Ed, whose eyes were wild, and whose mouth was twisted into a snarl.

"Tell me where my kid is." He growled.

"We can't do that, Ed. Carol told us not to." Beth said, putting herself in between Ed and the living room.

"GIVE ME SOPHIA!" He yelled. Amanda stepped behind Beth, lowering her voice.

"Ed, you're drunk. Go home now, or I'm calling the cops." Amanda growled. Ed yelled loudly, forcing the door open, knocking Beth to the floor.

"Beth!" Amanda screamed. She turned to Ed, and jumped in front of him.

"Ed, leave! Now!" Amanda screamed. Ed shoved her backwards, making her lose her balance slightly.

"I'm not leavin' till I get Sophia! Get outta my damn way!" He screamed. Amanda stepped in front of him again, blocking the hallway. Amanda saw Beth grab a poker from the fireplace, and Beth ran into his line of sight.

"Get out of my house! Daryl is on his way. You'd better leave 'fore he gets here, Ed!" Beth screamed. Ed grabbed the poker from her, and hit her directly across the jaw. That was all it took for Amanda to lose her temper.

"HIT HER AGAIN AND I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU!" Amanda screamed, shoving Ed across the living room. Because Ed was drunk, his reaction was delayed, but he managed to smack her, nearly to the floor.

"GET OUT! GET OUT OR I'LL KILL YOU!" Amanda screamed again, slapping Ed. Ed grabbed her by the hair, dragging her to the ground. Amanda screamed, and Beth stumbled to her feet, her face bloodied and bruised from the iron poker. Amanda prayed silently that Rick or Daryl would show up, but feared that Ed would kill them and take Sophia before they could. Ed started to hit Amanda, repeatedly, screaming.

"TELL ME WHERE SHE IS! NOT SO TOUGH HUH? I'LL KILL YOU, WHORE!" Ed screamed, smacking Amanda in the face. Beth ran forward, jumping on Ed, but he was too strong, and knocked Beth to the floor. Ed threw Amanda, and began kicking her violently. Amanda grabbed Ed's ankle, just enough to knock Ed off balance, and she was able to drag him to the floor. She reaching forward, kicking Ed in the face twice, as she saw Beth get up. Beth ran down the hallway and into her room, and Amanda could hear her rummage for something. When Beth returned, she stood above them.

She was holding a .38 special, one that belonged to Daryl.

"If you don't get out of my house right now I swear I will shoot your head clean off your shoulders." Beth said, almost growling. Ed reached forward, grabbing Amanda again, and putting her in a chokehold.

"I'll strangle her." Ed said.

"I'll shoot you before then." Beth replied.

As they were in their standoff, Amanda could hear a motorcycle pull up, and someone running up the front porch stairs.

Daryl. Thank God.

Daryl burst open the door to see Beth pointing a gun at Ed, who was choking Amanda. Daryl growled, and motioned for Beth to lower the gun.

"Ed, you let her go or I will beat you into the ground." Daryl snarled.

"Your little girlie didn't fight too well. I should kill this one." Ed said. Amanda could feel Ed choking her. She felt her oxygen slowly draining. She could hear Daryl walk forward and knock Ed to the ground, and she felt oxygen return to her lungs. She looked over to see Daryl holding Ed at bay, and then she heard something else.

Police sirens. Rick was here.

She heard Rick burst through the door, with another deputy behind him. Rick looked at Beth, who was sitting in the floor, and then he saw Amanda. The look on his face darkened as he walked toward Ed.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!" Rick yelled. Ed gave Rick an evil grin.

"I was gonna choke her head off her shoulders." He replied. Rick drug him from Daryl's grasp, and slammed him to the floor. Ed swung at him, but Rick jumped on him, punching him hard three times. Another deputy pulled Rick back, trying to calm him down.

"Calm it, Officer Friendly, or you'll have internal affairs after you." Said the deputy. Rick nodded, wiping his face with his sleeve.

"Y'alright, little brother?" The deputy asked. Daryl nodded.

"I'm not the one you should be askin' 'bout, Merle. Ed was gonna kill 'em both."Daryl replied. Merle walked over, crouching down, and grabbed Beth's face.

"Good Lord, Bo Peep, what'd he do to you?" He asked, his face filled with concern. Beth, who was sobbing quietly, pointed to the iron poker that was laying across the room. Merle clenched his fists, and then pulled Beth into a hug. Another deputy, whom Amanda recognized as Bob Stookey, drug Ed out of the house. Merle stood up, walking over to Amanda.

"Can you tell us what happened ma'am?" Merle asked. Amanda coughed, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"I watch a little girl named Sophia, and that was her dad. He used to beat her and her mom, and Carol kicked him out. He came over to my house drunk, and he wanted to take Sophia. I wouldn't let him..." Amanda couldn't finish her statement, because she began to sob. Rick pulled her into a hug, gently rocking her. Carl heard his father's voice, and came down the hall.

"Is Sophia's dad gone?" He asked quietly. His eyes were red and his face was puffy; the boy had obviously been crying.

"Yeah bud, he is. How'd y'all wind up here?" Merle asked him.

"Miss Amanda saw Sophia's dad come over. So she made us run over here. He saw us, and started walking over. Miss Amanda beat him, and she made us go hide." He explained. Merle nodded.

"Then what happened?" Merle asked.

"I heard a bunch of yelling. Miss Beth and Miss Amanda tried to get him to leave but he wouldn't." Carl whispered. Merle nodded again.

"Bud, you did the right thing." Merle assured him. Carl attempted to walk over to Amanda, but Rick stopped him.

"Carl, you need to wait a second. Amanda needs a few minutes, okay? Then you can check on her." Rick told him. Carl didn't listen, and ran over anyway.

"Miss Amanda, you're ok right? You fought him off. Now Sophia is okay." Carl said, trying to reassure her. Amanda smiled.

"Yeah, Carl, he's not gonna come around anymore." Amanda said, trying to smile. Carl saw her face, however, and frowned. He walked over to Beth, and his face fell even more.

"Miss Beth, are you okay?" He asked. Beth peeked out of Daryl's arms and tried to smile, but couldn't muster it. She cried even more, as Daryl held her. Carl, feeling more upset, walked down the hall to Beth and Daryl's room. Rick grabbed Amanda's chin, pulling her up to meet his gaze.

"Are you ok?" He asked her quietly.

"I don't know." Amanda admitted.

"You saved Carl and Sophia's life." He said. Amanda shrugged.

"No, I didn't really." Amanda said.

"What would've happened if you'd let Ed take Sophia? You love those kids. You and Beth, you two saved 'em." Rick said.

"I did what I had to. He hurt Beth. I could've killed him." Amanda admitted.

Amanda looked in Beth's direction and Beth gave her a weak smile. "I'd do it again. Sophia doesn't need to be with him." Beth said. Amanda still felt terrible for everything that had happened, she felt like it was her fault.

"We're gonna take him on down to the station. This time, we can charge him with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of attempted kidnapping, one count breaking and entering, and it looks like we could probably peg him with two counts child endangerment." Bob said, walking through the door. Carol followed behind him, nearly inconsolable.

"He won't bother us anymore. I can't believe him!" Carol said, sobbing. Amanda walked over to her, giving her a hug.

"It's okay. Sophia is okay. That's all that matters." Amanda told her. Carol cried harder.

"Look at you, though! And Beth! It should've been me, not you guys. You guys, you didn't deserve it, you didn't need it!" Carol said in between sobs.

"Carol, if it'd been you, you'd be dead right now." Amanda said. Beth nodded.

"He just 'bout killed Amanda." Daryl grumbled, "Beat Beth in the face with the fire poker."

Carol fell to the floor. Merle picked her up. "Hey, hey, now. It's alright now, sugar. Everyone's okay. Your little girl is back there. She's been hidin' in the closet." Merle said, rubbing Carol's back. Carol nodded, and walked back to find Sophia. Amanda walked over to Beth, hugging her tightly.

"You saved me Beth." Amanda said.

"You saved me, too." Beth replied.

Carol emerged from the hallway with Sophia and Carl in tow. Sophia was clutching her doll tightly to her chest, and Carl wrapped his arm around the girl. Merle walked up to Carol, pattng her shoulder.

"Listen, ma'am. We're gonna need ya to come down to the station. We need to see about pressin' charges." Merle said.

"I'm pressing charges." Carol said, without even blinking.

"Well, if you'd like, I'll drive ya and the little lady. I won't let nothin' happen." Merle promised. Carol smiled lightly, and walked out with him. Rick turned to Amanda and Beth, and sighed heavily.

"We're gonna need y'all to come down too. If y'all are gonna press charges." Rick said. Amanda and Beth looked at each other, each unsure if they should.

"If y'all don't want him comin' back, ya need to press charges." Daryl said. They both knew he was right.

"But what about Carl?" Amanda asked.

"He needs to come too. We need his statement." Bob said. Amanda nodded, she could tell Rick didn't want to bring him to the station.

"Come on, we need to go." Rick told the group. Amanda nodded, walking out behind him. Daryl and Beth hopped in Beth's truck, and Amanda got in Rick's patrol car, Carl climbing in the back.

"What you did today, that means everything." Rick said. Amanda nodded.

"I wasn't gonna let him hurt those kids." Amanda said, as if there was no other option in her mind. She didn't think, she just did what she needed to do.

"I know you weren't. When I saw you today...I was so afraid I might lose you." Rick admitted. Amanda looked at him, surprised.

"Really?" Amanda asked. Rick nodded.

"Merle was the first one to respond to the call. He knew the address, he knew it was Daryl's house. He knew Daryl wasn't home. Merle was so afraid he'd walk in to Beth or you dead. I was afraid of that too. I was so afraid Ed would kill you and take Sophia." Rick said.

"I was honestly afraid he'd kill me too." Amanda said. Rick frowned. They pulled up to the sheriff's office, and walked inside. It took a while for Beth, Amanda, and Carl to talk to sheriff's deputies, but they finally did, and were assured that Ed wouldn't make bail. Carol pressed charges as well, and though initially Sophia didn't want to speak, she did. By the time they were done, they knew Ed would be going to jail for a long time. For that, Amanda was grateful.

The group left the police station around 10:30 at night, and Rick took Amanda back to the house. Carl was asleep in the back seat, and Rick suggested that he'd take the young boy home. Amanda was still shaken, and begged Rick to stay.

"Please, Rick. Stay the night. You and Carl. I just don't want to be alone." Amanda said. Rick nodded.

"Everyone's had a rough day. I think I'll just keep Carl home from school tomorrow, we could stay the night." Rick said. Amanda smiled softly as they walked up the steps and into the house. Rick carried Carl to the spare bedroom, taking off the boy's jacket and placing him under the covers. Amanda smiled as she watched them. Carl wasn't her son, but in a lot of ways, he was. She loved him as her own, and she would've gladly taken another beating from Ed Peletier rather than watch Carl get hurt again. She walked back to her bedroom, changing into her pajamas, and laid down in bed, sighing heavily. The days' events had caught up with her, and she cried quietly, hoping that she could hide it from Rick. Then, she felt the bed sink slightly, and knew Rick was there.

"You're not okay." Rick said matter-of-factly.

"I'm not." Amanda said.

"Ed won't hurt you again." Rick told her. She tried to stop crying, but only made it worse.

"I was so afraid he'd kill me... Not that he'd just kill me, but that he'd find Carl and Sophia. What if he'd found them?" She asked. Rick laid next to her, and pulled her close.

"He didn't find them because of you. Carl doesn't have a scratch on him, Amanda. You did that." He said.

"I love Carl so much, Rick. I'd kill Ed before he hurt Carl." Amanda told him. Rick smiled.

"Carl loves you too. He was more worried about you than he was himself." Rick said.

"I couldn't live with myself if something happened to him. That kid, from the moment I met him I knew I loved him. I'd never let anything hurt him." She told Rick. Rick pulled her close, hugging her tightly.

"You're one in a million. Carl loves you, Amanda. And I do, too." Rick said. There it was, he'd finally said it again.

"You do?" Amanda asked.

"I'm sorry... You don't have to say it back, you don't have to like it. It's just how I feel. I love you." Rick said.

"Rick... I thought you'd already said it." Amanda said, raising up to sit.

"No... I've never said it before now." Rick looked at Amanda like she'd grown an extra limb.

"You don't remember last weekend?" Amanda asked.

"What about last weekend?" Rick replied. He didn't remember. He didn't remember saying it.

"Look...I said I loved you last weekend, when I thought you were asleep. You said it back, and I kinda panicked." Amanda admitted sheepishly.

"I don't remember that." Rick whispered, "I'm sorry."

"It clears a lot of stuff up." Amanda said, "But Rick, I love you. I love you and I love Carl."

"I love you too. And I don't want to lose you." Rick said.

"You know, if you'da told me about that, I would've cleared it up for ya." Rick added, laughing.

"I didn't wanna scare you." Amanda told him. Rick laughed louder.

"I knew I loved you pretty much right after I met you. You couldn't have scared me if ya tried." He said. Amanda smiled and placed a gentle kiss on Rick's lips. He smiled, pulling her onto his chest, and they laid there, talking for nearly two hours. Amanda could hear the beat of Rick's heart in his chest. Rick wasn't a perfect man, but tried hard, and that was enough for her. They fell asleep on Amanda's bed, and she couldn't remember ever staying that warm. It was the first night in a long time that Amanda slept without tossing and turning, until about 2:30 in the morning, when Amanda was awakened by a gentle tug.

"Miss Amanda." Carl whispered. Amanda looked at a nervous Carl, who was shuffling from one foot to the other.

"What's the matter bud?" She asked.

"I had a bad dream. Can I please sleep with you and Dad?" Carl begged. He looked genuinely terrified, and Amanda could relate. She still had nightmares sometimes, but she was always alone. She pulled back the covers and motioned for Carl to climb in, and he crawled in bed in between her and Rick. Carl turned to face her, and smiled slightly.

"I love you, Miss Amanda." He said.

"You can just call me Amanda, Carl. But I love you too." Amanda said, ruffling the boys hair. He yawned slightly.

"You think we can stay here again?" Carl asked. Amanda smiled.

"Of course, buddy." She said.

"Good. I like it here. I'm not afraid of the dark here. I don't want to leave." He told her. Amanda hugged him tightly, and watching him as he drifted back to sleep. She turned over on her side, and thought about what Carl had said. He liked being there with her, and he loved her too. She looked at the two who were sleeping next to her, and felt like she had the whole world. She stroked Carl's hair gently, and smiled as he snuggled into her.

"_You don't have to leave if you don't want to." _She thought as she held Carl.

"_I love you, Rick. I love you, Carl. You're my home now."_ Amanda said. It was true. Rick and Carl Grimes were her home, and she loved them more than anything else. Of course she was afraid it wouldn't work out, but she didn't let that fear cripple her. She wanted to spend as much time with Rick and Carl as she could, and she wanted to keep them safe. Finally, things were starting to make sense. She loved Rick and Carl, and they loved her back. Finally, she had the family of her own she'd always wanted. As far as she was concerned, Carl was hers.

Amanda wasn't sure what would happen between her and Rick, but even through the uncertainty and fear, she felt at peace, and she felt at home in her own bed.

And, that was enough of a reason for her to hold Rick and Carl close, never wishing to let them go.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi, everyone! **

**Read, review, follow. Kind reviews mean the world to me! **

**-A **

Chapter 6: Birthdays and Music

The rest of September, Amanda went through the same routine: go to class, teach class, watch Carl and Sophia, cook dinner, spend time with Rick and Carl. By September's end, Amanda had finally finished grading her first stack of papers, going to class the next day and raking the freshmen and sophomores over the coals for being lazy and throwing something together the night before. On the weekends, Amanda helped Maggie and Beth plan Maggie's wedding to Glenn, which Maggie had finally decided would take place at Tybee Wedding Chapel on Tybee Island, at the beach. At points, Amanda missed planning her own wedding, but remembered that marrying Michael would set her up for years of heartache, until he left her for someone else, or just left altogether. The wedding was at the end of October, and Maggie, ever the indecisive one, was just now starting to finalize decorations, flowers, and small details. Beth had wrestled Maggie into ordering invitations during the summer, but because their tastes were so different, Amanda had to mediate between the two when it came to how they thought the wedding should look. It was the next to last Saturday in September, and Beth, Maggie, and Amanda were over at Beth's house, making gift bags for the wedding guests. Amanda leaned back, yawning, and put one of the bags down to sip from her glass of tea.

"It's September 20th." Amanda whispered to herself.

"Yeah, what about it?" Beth asked.

"She's probably tryin' to say I'm a procrastinator." Maggie giggled, taking a break herself.

"No. That's not what I meant...Friday is Rick's birthday. He turns 30." Amanda said, suddenly realizing she'd almost forgot his birthday.

"Whoa! Old man!" Beth said jokingly, smiling wide.

"You're one to talk, Bethy. Daryl's nearly 30 himself!" Maggie laughed. Daryl heard his name from the kitchen, and peeked his head out.

"Old guys do it better." He said, disappearing back into the kitchen. The three girls giggled.

"I was thinking I should do something for Rick's birthday. He deserves it."Amanda said.

"Whatcha thinkin'?" Beth asked.

Amanda bit her lip, "I was thinkin'... Maybe a surprise party. With all of y'all there. I know he'd love it. I could bake him a cake, we could have it in my back yard. He usually works on his birthday, but this year I know he's off." The wheels were now turning into her head. Beth and Maggie grinned at each other, and then at Amanda.

"We could take a little break from wedding planning." Maggie suggested, shrugging her shoulders.

"Yeah, and we could get Daryl and Glenn to distract Rick before the party." Beth said, grinning devilishly.

"So... Friday night, Rick's surprise party. How about 7:00?" Amanda asked. The girls nodded.

"Perfect. Let's plan it." Maggie said.

"Well, if Rick already wanted to marry you, he definitely will after Friday." Beth giggled. Amanda snorted, tea going through her nose.

"Hey, it's only been a month, Beth!" Amanda said, swatting at Beth. Beth dodged her, laughing.

"Daryl, when did we decide we were getting married?" Beth yelled to her Daryl, who was sitting at the table, cleaning his crossbow.

"Two weeks!" He replied. Beth smiled back at Amanda triumphantly.

"Look, I'm not saying it's not possible, I'm just saying I wanna take it slow." Amanda told Beth and Maggie.

"That's what Glenn and I did. But honestly, lookin' back I probably would've married him sooner." Maggie admitted. Beth and Amanda looked at Maggie, and Maggie shrugged.

"When you know, you know. Glenn is my favorite person. You can't tell me that you would've waited two years to marry Daryl, Beth." Maggie said.

"You're right. Daryl is my person." Beth said. Amanda looked at both of the girls, and realized something: Rick was her person, too.

"Rick is my person." Amanda muttered, hoping they wouldn't pick it up. She was sorely mistaken.

"I knew it!" Beth said, pulling Amanda into a hug.

"I'm taking it slow, though. He's been married before, I've been engaged before. We need to take it slow." Amanda said. Maggie and Beth nodded. Unexpectedly, Daryl walked into the living room, looking at the girls. He got Amanda's attention with a gruff "hey".

"If it means anythin', Rick knows you ain't Lori." Daryl said gruffly. Amanda looked at him, puzzled by his sudden chattiness.

"Lori put 'im through hell, but he knows you ain't like that." Daryl added. Amanda smiled.

"I love him. He's my person." Amanda said.

"He knows you do. And, you're his person too." Daryl said, walking out.

"Beth! I'm meetin' Merle to go get the girls!" Daryl called, walking out the back door. Amanda could hear him drive away in Beth's truck, not Daryl's motorcycle. Amanda looked at Beth, puzzled.

"Uh, what did Daryl mean 'go get the girls'?" Amanda asked.

"Oh, I thought you knew! He's going to go get our neices, Lizzie and Mika. We're going to take them to Daddy's this afternoon." Beth explained. Maggie nodded, but Amanda was still confused.

"Merle has kids?!" Amanda asked. Maggie nodded again.

"Yeah, Lizzie is what, Beth, 11? Mika is 8." Maggie said.

"I didn't know Merle was married." Amanda said.

"He isn't married... Not anymore at least." Beth said quietly.

"Oh. Well, I didn't know he was divorced either." Amanda said.

"He isn't divorced. He's widowed." Beth said, gently correcting her. Amanda looked at her, obviously surprised.

"That's awful. I don't mean to be nosy, but what happened?" Amanda asked. Beth sighed.

"Well, I figure I'll start from the beginning... Merle used to be a druggie. Meth was his drug of choice, and he did a lot of it. Actually, no one really liked him, and he wasn't a nice person on drugs. But one day, he met a lady named Andrea. And she was a lawyer, and she wouldn't go out with him because he was a druggie. He finally realized he wouldn't get a good woman on drugs, I guess, cause he cleaned himself up. Then, he won Andrea over. They were married after six months, and they had Lizzie two years later. Lizzie was a daddy's girl all the way. Then, three years later, they had Mika. But when Mika was three, Andrea started to feel weird. But, she didn't think it was a big deal, so she ignored it. When Merle finally got her to go to the doctor, they found out she had stage 4 leukemia. They gave her 3-6 months, but she lived two. Merle almost lost his mind. He hasn't even dated since. He misses Andrea every day. We watch the girls sometimes, so does Dale and Andrea's sister, Amy. Merle works really weird shifts so he can spend most of his time with the girls." Beth explained. Amanda felt so bad for Merle.

"That's awful." Was all Amanda could say.

"Merle's rough around the edges, but we all love those little girls, and he does too." Beth said. Maggie nodded in agreement.

"They're my buddies. Mika is one of my flower girls, Lizzie is a bridesmaid." Maggie said. Amanda smiled.

"Well, let's bring them to the party on Friday!" Amanda said. The girls agreed. When Mika and Lizzie arrived, Amanda befriended them immediately. The girls were little angels; Merle had obviously raised them well.

"I know you from my school." Lizzie said happily, talking to Amanda.

"You do?" Amanda asked.

"Yeah! You watch my very best friend Sophia, and my friend Carl." Lizzie explained. Amanda smiled. So this was the infamous Lizzie that babied Sophia at every turn.

"Sophia says you're her very best friend, too." Amanda said. Lizzie smiled widely.

"Yeah, Sophia doesn't have a dad. And Carl doesn't have a mom. But that's okay, cause I don't have a mom either." Lizzie said. Amanda's heart broke as the girl explained this. Not everyone was blessed to have a mom and dad like she did, or like Maggie and Beth did. But, Lizzie and Mika had a big family that loved them, and Amanda knew that these girls were very loved.

Before Amanda knew it, it was already 2:30, and she knew Rick would be coming over soon. She said goodbye to Beth and Maggie, and they decided to spend Sunday evening planning Rick's surprise party. Amanda wanted to make Rick smile, because he was her person, and she desperately wanted to be his.

Friday came much quicker than Amanda had anticipated. Keeping a huge secret from Rick planned to be quite the challenge, as Rick, being a sheriff's deputy, could usually pick up on everything. Amanda had doled out several tasks to Maggie, Beth, and Daryl: Maggie was responsible for decorations, Beth was responsible for drinks and inviting people, and Daryl was in charge of distracting Rick that Friday. Amanda had checked Carl out of school earlier that day, on the guise that she and Carl would be going to get Carl new shoes. It wasn't completely a lie; the boy had outgrown most of his shoes, and Amanda did take him to Atlanta to get him more, but that was done in an hour (because Carl just wanted shoes that lit up when he walked, and, since Amanda never had any growing up, she wasn't about to deny him). They got back to her house around 2:00, and set about to cooking. Carl helped her make chocolate chip cookies and a dark chocolate cake (which she always made from scratch), and Amanda and Carl had a laughing fit after trying to make frosting and getting powdered sugar all over the kitchen. Amanda decided to smoke a brisket, two pork loins, and some ribs, and Carl helped her make potato salad and deviled eggs. Amanda hated eggs with every fiber of her being, but Rick, Carl, and Daryl loved them, so she taught Carl how to make them. She had to admit, the boy had taken to cooking, and she was proud of him. She decided she'd also try to make her mother's famous cole slaw, which was surprisingly a lot easier than people thought it was (all it was was cabbage, salt, pepper, onion, and mayonnaise). Everything was coming together when Beth and Maggie arrived with decorations, canned drinks, and large pitchers of sweet tea and lemonade. Carl had always known Beth and Maggie, and had grown closer to them over the past month.

"Miss Beth! Miss Maggie!" He said, running up to them. Maggie ruffled his hair, setting some of the decorations down.

"Hey there, little man! Gonna help us decorate for the party?" Maggie asked.

"You bet! Dad's never had a birthday before!" He said, excitedly. Beth sat all of the drinks on the counter, and Amanda followed behind her, placing the remaining cans of soda on the counter. Maggie went out to the backyard, and began to string lights on the patio. Amanda strung a "HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICK" sign above the back door, and Beth set up five small, round tables in the backyard, covering them with white table cloths. Amanda and Maggie cut roses from Beth's flower garden, putting yellow roses in vases for the tables. Amanda strung lights around the two trees in the backyard, hanging lanterns from the tree branches. Beth hung lanterns around the fence, singing to herself as she worked. Amanda, Maggie, and Carl got the brisket and pork loins off of the smoker, and began setting the food out for the evening. Amanda could hardly contain her excitement, she was so ready to see Rick.

The guests began to arrive at 6:30, with Dale being the first one to arrive. Bob Stookey and his wife, Sasha, were the next. Sasha was a friend of Amanda, Maggie, and Beth, and was an EMT, and the fire chief for the Ducktown Volunteer Fire Department. Next was Merle, Lizzie, Mika, Carol, and Sophia, who had all come together. Next was the assistant district attorney, Michonne, with her son Andre and boyfriend, Mike. Then, Hershel and Annette arrived, with Rick and Daryl's old friend, Theodore, who they called T-Dog, followed them. Tyreese, Carl's teacher and Rick's friend from high school was the last to arrive, with his wife Karen joining him. Tara Chambler, a new deptuy who Rick had trained came, bringing a plate of brownies with her. Sheriff Abraham and his wife, Rosita, showed up, too. Amanda was so excited that all of Rick's friends had been able to make it, and she was so glad that Rick's 30th birthday would be so special. Amanda could hear Daryl's motorcycle pull up, along with Glenn's Dodge Charger. She knew they were here.

"They're here, guys! Hide!" Amanda yelled. Everyone took their respective places, and Amanda heard the back door open.

"I wonder where they are?" Amanda heard Rick say.

"They're around here somewhere." She heard Glenn reply. She realized that was the perfect time, and motioned for everyone to come out.

"SURPRISE!" They yelled. Rick jumped back as Amanda came up, and she walked over to him, hugging him tightly.

"Happy birthday, Rick!" Amanda said. Rick smiled widely.

"Is this for me? He asked. Amanda nodded.

"Yep, Maggie and Beth helped me put it together, and Carl too! He made one of your favorites." Amanda said.

"Really? And what is that?" Rick asked. Carl picked up the tray of deviled eggs, eager to show his dad.

"Deviled eggs! Amanda taught me how to make them!" Carl said, beaming with pride. Rick looked down at his son and pulled him in for a hug.

"Well, looks like you can cook better than me now." Rick said, laughing.

"Like that's hard to do." Carl said, laughing back. Carl put the tray back down on the food table and ran off to play with Mika, Lizzie, and Sophia.

"I can't remember havin' a surprise party." Rick told Amanda. She smiled, taking his hand and leading him to the food.

"Well, I wanted to do something special for you. 30 is a big year." Amanda explained. Rick smiled as Amanda told everyone to fix their plate. Amanda and Rick took their seats at a table with Beth, Daryl, Maggie, Glenn, Merle, and Carol. After the events with Ed, it was good to see Carol laughing again.

"I can't remember havin' cole slaw this good." Merle said, taking a bite.

"Thanks, Merle. It was my mama's recipe." Amanda said.

"I can't believe you made all this food. It's great." Carol said. Amanda smiled, nodding.

"I love to cook. I can't take all the credit though. Carl helped with all of it." Amanda said.

"I thought Carl needed new shoes?" Rick asked, chuckling.

"Oh, he got new shoes. It took us all of an hour, he knew exactly what he wanted." Amanda replied.

"What'd he get?" Rick asked. Amanda pointed at Carl, who had gotten up to get more deviled eggs.

"Light up shoes. Mom never would buy them for me as a kid, I couldn't say no." Amanda laughed. Rick took a look at Carl's shoes, which illuminated the back yard with a bright blue light. He smiled as Carl brought him two deviled eggs and quickly ran away.

After the meal, they had cake an ice cream. The chocolate cake Amanda made was a hit, and only two pieces were left. Again, Amanda gave Carl credit for helping her out, even after their frosting fiasco. She told Rick she was sure that she'd have powdered sugar all over her kitchen still, and Rick laughed, saying that sounded like Carl.

After cake, Glenn got up, and whispered something in Beth's ear.

"What do you mean you forgot your guitar?" Beth asked, her eyes narrowing. Amanda's heart sunk. She'd asked Beth and Glenn specifically to play some music at the party, and Glenn had forgotten the most integral part of that.

"I'm sorry! I couldn't go back and get it. I was busy." Glenn said.

"Well, we don't have a guitar now." Beth said, obviously flustered.

"What if Amanda played?" Maggie suggested. Amanda bit her lip. No one other than Rick knew her trepidation for playing in front of people. She shook her head nervously, as everyone at the table looked at her.

"Oh come on, Mandy. How bad could ya be? Just a few tunes. Bethy'll sing everything." Merle said, joking.

"No one wants to hear me play..." Amanda began.

"I do." Rick said, taking a sip of his lemonade.

"I'm not any good." Amanda said, trying to deflect any attention from herself.

"She can sing, seriously. She's great." Rick told everyone. Amanda could have kicked him if it wasn't his birthday.

"Come on, play with Beth! We wanna hear!" Glenn said. Amanda grumbled.

"For me. Please?" Rick asked. Dang it. He'd used his birthday card.

"Fine. ONLY because it's your birthday." Amanda said, getting up. She went into the house and grabbed her red Yamaha acoustic guitar and went outside. Beth grabbed her guitar and motioned for her to get the keyboard that Beth had brought. Amanda stuck her tongue out at Beth, which Beth ignored. Amanda did as she was told, getting the large Yamaha keyboard, as Glenn grabbed Beth's keyboard stand. They set up two chairs in the middle of the backyard, along with the keyboard directly next to them. Amanda leaned over to Beth, whispering as low as she could.

"I could kick you." Amanda tried to smile, but was panicking internally.

"Do it later. I know you're good." Beth said, sitting upright.

"So what's the first song?" Amanda asked. Beth smiled.

"A song I wrote right before Daryl and I started dating. The one I sang the other day." Beth said.

"Oh, that one. I know the chords then." Amanda said, a little relieved. Everyone continued to stare at them, and Beth began to sing. Amanda had to admit, it wasn't that bad as long as her best friend was there with her. _'I don't mind this.' _She thought as Beth got to the chorus:

"_Let's get married tonight, _

_Once we've drank up the wine. _

_Will you marry me, and always be mine?_

_It's such a nice night in Brooklyn, and we shouldn't be alone._

_Let's get married, baby, married and go home." _

Four songs later, and Amanda was actually comfortable. Her anxiety had subsided, she was actually beginning to have fun. Just as she was comfortable, Beth threw her a curve ball.

"Your turn." Beth said.

"No, no. I can't." Amanda replied.

"You can, and you will." Beth said, ordering Amanda to sit down. Amanda sat down, and looked at her sheepishly. Everyone was looking at her again, and her hands shook as she put her hands on the keyboard. She cleared her throat, and she began singing the first song she knew, which reminded her of Rick. Everyone grew quiet as she reached the chorus.

"_Not really sure how I feel about it, _

_Something in the way you move, _

_makes me feel like I can't live without you,_

_and it takes me all the way, _

_I want you to stay." _

Everyone clapped as she began another song, which Rick requested. He requested the one he'd heard her sing, and she was unsure, until Beth began playing along too, with the guitar. Amanda became more comfortable, and eventually relaxed as she got to the chorus.

"_Will you still love me when I'm no longer young and beautiful? _

_Will you still love me when I've got nothin' but my aching soul? _

_I know you will, I know you will,_

_I know that you will, will you still love me,_

_When I'm no longer beautiful?" _

Everyone's eyes widened as she got to the bridge, and Amanda finally quit worrying what everyone thought, she just sang.

"_Dear Lord, when I get to heaven, _

_please let me bring my man_

_When he comes, tell me that you'll let him in,_

_Father tell me if you can_

_Oh that grace, oh that body_

_Oh that face, makes me wanna party_

_He's my son, he makes me shine like diamonds..."_

When she was done, everyone clapped and cheered wildly, and Rick looked like he was on top of the world. Amanda smiled anxiously, quickly taking the guitar inside. As the party wound down, everyone told her how well she and Beth did, and she nodded graciously while beginning to clean up. Everyone finally left around 11, and Amanda told a very tired Beth and Maggie to go home and get some sleep, that she would clean up. She helped Carl into bed in her guest room (for the 3rd night that week), and began to wash dishes as Rick came up next to her, grabbing a towel and beginning to dry.

"It's your birthday, Rick. Don't help me wash dishes!" Amanda said teasingly.

"I'm not gonna leave you to do all these dishes by yourself." Rick said.

"It's still your birthday. Plus these are just the ones I couldn't fit in a dishwasher." Amanda replied.

"Maybe I just wanted to spend some time with my favorite girl." Rick said. Amanda's heart leapt. She'd never been anyone's 'favorite girl'.

"Well then, I guess I can't say no." Amanda surmised, smiling widely. Rick leaned over, kissing her cheek. She smiled bigger.

"I can't believe you did all that just for me." Rick said.

Amanda shrugged, "30 is a big year. I wanted you to have something special."

"You're pretty awesome. You know that, right?" Rick asked.

"You deserve all that, Rick." Amanda replied.

"I honestly don't know how to deal with how you treat me some times. You're better than I ever deserved." Rick said.

Amanda stopped washing dishes for a moment, looking at Rick. "Rick Grimes, you're the best guy I know. You deserve the whole world."

Rick looked at Amanda, obviously flabbergasted, and put the towel down on the counter. He pulled her in close, so that their foreheads were touching.

"I absolutely love you." Rick said, kissing Amanda gently. She grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him back.

"I love you too, Rick." She said, kissing him again. Rick yawned, and Amanda laughed.

"Come on, we can finish these in the morning. Let's go to bed." Amanda suggested. Rick nodded, following behind her. Amanda changed her clothes, pulling her long, brown hair out of a French braid that Beth had fixed for her earlier that afternoon. She laid down on the bed, and Rick joined her.

"You have really beautiful brown eyes." Rick said, kissing Amanda's cheek. Amanda smiled.

"You've got beautiful blue eyes." Amanda replied. Rick grabbed her waist, pulling her close.

"I never thought I'd meet anyone like you." Rick laughed.

"Why you say that?" Amanda asked.

"'Cause I never thought I'd ever get this lucky." Rick replied, kissing Amanda. Amanda smiled.

"All the crap I've gone through, all the times Michael hurt me, moving here, all of it was worth it. I guess it was fate." Amanda said, grabbing Rick's hand in hers.

"Everything happens for a reason. You and Carl, y'all were those reasons." Rick said. Amanda's eyes got misty, and she leaned forward, kissing Rick.

"And you're mine." Amanda whispered. Amanda turned over on her side, turning off the light and closing her eyes. In her eyes, Rick was everything. He was the love of her life, even though externally she wanted to "take it slow". She wanted to give him the whole world, and he was the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she felt Rick's breath on her ear, and she knew he wanted to tell her something.

"Amanda?" He whispered.

"Yes?" She replied, turning over halfway.

"You're my person."


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi guys! Sorry it took so long to update. I've had finals this week, and I graduate on Saturday. Plus, my fiancé commissions on Friday. Then we get married next week! (EEK!) Luckily, now that I'm done with my undergraduate work, I can focus on updating more! Read, review, follow, spread the word. You guys are the best, and the feedback has made my heart smile. Much love!**

**-A**

Chapter 7: Tybee Island Sunrise

It was the end of October, which meant that it was midterm for Amanda. She had finished grading the midterm tests, and had, yet again, had to give her class a long lecture on the art of writing papers, and scanned copies of the Turabian writing manual and distributed them to her class. Amanda, who was a perfectionist when it came to writing papers, was appalled by the amount of C's and D's she'd distributed, and so she required all of them to see a writing tutor at the library. Though the end of October was certainly stressful, she looked forward to the end of October, which meant it was time for Glenn and Maggie's wedding. Amanda had been asked to be a bridesmaid by Maggie, and she was excited to be apart of Maggie's special day. Amanda often found herself being the mediator between Maggie and Beth, mainly because the two were so different, and because though Beth was married, Maggie still saw her as her "baby sister", and sometimes treated her as such. Beth, who had a vicious temper, would retaliate, and it took Amanda and Maggie's other bridesmaid, Sasha, to break up the two sisters. The wedding was on a Saturday evening in the Tybee Island wedding chapel, and it would be a three hour car ride from Atlanta to Tybee Island. The group planned to leave on a Thursday, so that they could prepare everything. Maggie, Glenn, Hershel and Annette decided to leave on Wednesday, but Beth and Amanda both had classes, so they decided to leave the next day. Carl, who was Maggie and Glenn's ring bearer (along with Michonne's young son Andre), was nearly as nervous as Maggie, being so worried that he'd mess up that he was nearly making himself sick. Amanda assured him he had nothing to worry about, but she was happy to see him taking his job so seriously.

When Thursday rolled around, Amanda, Rick, Daryl, and Beth all decided to ride together. Rick suggested that they could take his truck, because three people could fit comfortably in the back seat with another person riding shotgun, and they could fit all their luggage in the truck bed. Though initially, Daryl was wary of riding with a young child, Amanda convinced him that Carl would be on his best behavior, and Daryl reluctantly agreed. The group decided to leave no later than 7:30 am, so Daryl and Beth arrived twenty minutes before, with all of their luggage. Amanda, Carl, and Beth piled into the back seat, while Rick loaded both of the girls bridesmaid's dresses, Carl's suit, and all of the other bags into the tool box in the truck bed. When Rick and Daryl got into the car, it was 7:25. They had actually managed to leave on time, and Amanda found it funny.

"What are you gigglin' bout?" Daryl asked, teasingly.

"Well, whenever my family went on a trip, Dad always waited till the last minute to pack, and Mama would always get mad at him for it. Then Dad would need to go to the store and get somethin', then my brother would forget to do laundry, and we'd always, without fail, leave about two hours behind schedule." Amanda said, laughing.

"Same with my family, too. One time, we were gonna go up to the Smoky Mountains, and Mama forgot her bag at the house. But, she didn't tell us till we got nearly to Chattanooga, so guess what we had to do? Turn around and go right back." Beth said, laughing hysterically.

"Yeah? What about our honeymoon, Beth? If I remember correctly, someone put us three hours behind schedule." Daryl piped up from the front.

"Where'd y'all go for your honeymoon anyway?" Amanda asked.

"Well, Daryl had never been outta Georgia before, so I let him pick." Beth explained.

"Where'd you go?" Amanda asked.

With the most serious face Daryl could muster, Daryl said matter-of-factly, "Disney World."

"Disney World? Seriously?" Amanda asked in disbelief.

"No! We did not. We did go to Florida, but not to Disney World. We just went to Pensacola." Beth corrected, gently swatting Daryl on the shoulder.

"If I did take this Rapunzel look alike down there, they'd never let 'er leave." Daryl explained.

"Wait—how do you know about Rapunzel?" Amanda asked. The movie "Tangled" definitely didn't sound like Daryl.

"Mika watches that stupid movie every time we watch her. Doesn't help that Beth keeps singin' that dang song all the time. Tried to make me sing it with her." Daryl grunted.

"What song?" Amanda asked. "Tangled" was one of her favorite movies, and she was honestly curious to find out which song Beth kept bugging Daryl to sing with her.

"_I've got a dream! I've got a dream! I just want to see the floating lanterns gleam!" _Beth sang at the top of her lungs.

"_And with every passing hour, I'm so glad I left my tower! Like all you lovely folks, I've got a dream!" _Amanda finished. Daryl and Rick rolled their eyes from the front seat, with Daryl mumbing something to the effect of "Crap".

"That's not even the best movie." Carl said, challenging both of the girls in the back seat.

"Then what is, Carl?" Rick asked, watching his son from the rear view mirror.

"Lilo and Stitch. Duh." Carl replied.

"Why do you say that?" Amanda asked.

"'Cause, I dunno. Stitch kinda reminds me of me or somethin'. I don't know. I like when he talks about Ohana." Carl explained.

"What do you mean, Carl?" Beth asked.

"Well, Lilo and Nani and Stitch have a broken family, and it's little. But Ohana means family, and family means no one gets left behind. And all of us, we're kind of like a big family, right? Like Dad and Amanda, and Aunt Beth and Uncle Daryl and Aunt Maggie and Grandpa Hershel and Grandma Annette. We're all a family, and we look out for each other." Carl explained. Amanda and Beth sat quietly, marveling at the wisdom of the young boy. As Amanda was about to speak, Carl began again.

"I mean, I know I didn't have a mom. Well, I did, but she didn't love me. And so it's always been Dad and Uncle Daryl, and Grandpa Hershel and Grandma Annette, and Aunt Beth and Aunt Maggie. I know they're not really my family, but they're my family, 'cause they love me. And that's all that matters, right? Families love each other. And maybe, my real mom wasn't supposed to be my mom. I think I was supposed to have a different mom." Carl said.

"You can't pick who your mom is, Carl. If I could pick parents, I wouldn'tve had the dad I did." Daryl told the boy. Rick shook his head at Daryl slightly, hoping to keep the boy's innocence as long as he could.

"I know I can't _actually_ pick. But I think that I wasn't supposed to know who my real mom was till later. I don't even really remember my old mom. But that's okay, 'cause if she loved us she would have come back..." Carl tried to continue but Rick interrupted.

"Carl..." Rick tried to interrupt.

"But it's okay, Dad. It is. Cause now I get to pick who my family is." Carl said, trying to reassure his dad.

"Then who is that?" Beth asked.

"Well, Amanda is supposed to be my real mom." Carl said, like it was the most obvious thing in the whole world. Everyone looked at each other, stunned by what the ten-year-old had just said. Rick's mouth stayed open, and Beth looked as if her eyes were going to pop out of her head.

"Uh, Carl, I don't think that's how it works..." Rick began.

"No, Dad, it's okay. 'Cause when I was little, I made a list of what I wanted my mom to be like. And Amanda likes dogs, and she cooks me dinner, and she plays cards with me. And she plays baseball with me, and she helps me when I have a hard time with my reading, and she holds your hand. And she doesn't make me feel bad when I have bad dreams, and she told me she loves me. That's what moms are supposed to do. I know every mom is different, but I know that's what my mom is supposed to do. And she does all that stuff. Amanda is supposed to be my mom." Carl argued his case. He tried to logically present his argument, and everyone still sat in silence, more stunned at Carl's maturity than the fact that he believed Amanda to be his mother.

Amanda could see Rick panicking in the front seat, sweat accumulating on his forehead as he tried to think of something to say. Daryl cleared his throat, and bridged the awkward silence.

"Y'know, I kinda picked my dad too, Carl." Daryl said. Carl's eyes lit up.

"Really?" Carl asked. Daryl nodded.

"Yeah. My old man, he wasn't real great. My mom died when I was seven, 'cause the house caught fire. And dad wasn't a good guy at all, Carl. You're lucky to have such a good dad, cause mine wasn't worth anythin' at all. He was real mean to me and Merle, ya know? It's why Merle is so weird about Lizzie and Mika. He don't wanna be like our dad was. But I got to pick my mom and dad. It was Grandpa Hershel and Grandma Annette. They're my family. And I love 'em almost as much as I love Beth. They're my family." Daryl explained. Beth smiled wildly.

"I guess, everyone gets to pick their family in a lotta ways. But that just makes it better." Beth said, smiling. Beth always had a positive outlook, and Amanda loved that about her.

The nearly five hour car ride didn't seem to last as long as Amanda thought, though there was still a heaviness in the air from the earlier conversation. When they finally arrived at the beach house, Hershel and Glenn greeted them, and began to help them with their bags.

"Aren't y'all just a sight for sore eyes!" Hershel exclaimed, hugging them all.

"It's great to see you again, Mr. Greene." Amanda said.

"Call me Hershel. Mr. Greene makes me feel so old!" The white haired man said.

"Well, it's good to see you, Hershel." Amanda said, smiling.

"Hey Daddy, could you help me get my dress inside?" Beth asked. Hershel nodded, limping quickly over to Beth and picking up her bridesmaids dress so it didn't drag on the ground. Rick told Amanda that Hershel had lost his left leg below the knee because of an accident a few years ago. He had since got a prosthetic leg, but he still walked with a limp. He helped Beth take her luggage inside, while Daryl grabbed his own and followed. Rick grabbed Amanda's luggage while she grabbed her dress, and Rick stopped her.

"Carl, why don't you go with Uncle Daryl and get settled?" Rick suggested. Carl obeyed, and trailed off behind Daryl. Rick sighed heavily, and leaned against the truck.

"I am so sorry Carl sprung that on you this mornin'." Rick said, apologizing profusely.

"It's kind of weird to hear, but I understand it." Amanda reassured him. In truth, she wanted Carl to be hers. She loved him, and she loved Rick. She was just unsure if she should say it so soon. They'd only been dating a little over two months, and she knew that wasn't enough time to really get to know someone. For all she knew, Rick could have some weird vice, like stealing mannequins from department stores or stealing neighbor's shoes. She loved Carl and Rick, but she still felt like she needed to wait.

"Look, I know it's weird. I know you're not expectin' that. I wasn't lookin' for a mom for Carl, and I'm afraid you might get that message. I don't want you to think that." Rick said. Amanda understood.

"I know you're not lookin' for a wife or a mom for Carl, Rick." Amanda placed her dress over the truck bed and grabbed Rick's hands in hers. "But I want you to know that I love Carl. I love him so much, and if he wants me to be his mom, than I'll be that for him. Even if, down the road it doesn't work out for us, I will always be there for Carl. He's been through enough, I'm not gonne abandon him."

Rick sighed heavily, pulling Amanda into a tight hug. Rick enveloped Amanda's small 5'1" frame, and she could hear his heart beat. "I love you so much." Rick whispered. "I love you too." Amanda whispered back. They pulled back their hug, and took their belongings into the beach house. Amanda had never been to Tybee Island, and was so excited to get out and explore.

"Y'all don't go off too far now, Maggie and Annette are bringin' groceries for supper tonight." Hershel said.

Amanda, Rick, Carl, Daryl, and Beth decided to visit the Tybee Island light house, before they walked on the beach. Amanda taught Carl how to make a sand castle, and Carl and Rick found 3 sand crabs. Daryl and Beth sat on the beach, Beth learning her head on Daryl's shoulder as they watched the waves roll in. Because it was October, it was cooler, though the water was still warm. Amanda had always gone to Gulf Shores nearly every summer with her parents, but she fell in love with the Georgia beaches. Rick, Carl, Daryl, and Beth may not be her "blood", but they were her family, and she loved them dearly. That night, Annette, Amanda, Beth, and Maggie made dinner, and everyone sat at the table, laughing and talking. To Amanda, it was as perfect as it could get. She felt like everything was working out for her, and she couldn't wait for Maggie's wedding—she knew Maggie would be a beautiful bride.

The next two days were the most hectic she'd had in a long time. She'd felt stress in planning her own wedding to Michael, but she'd never been able to see it through. Now she was seeing the intensity of the wedding stress. During the rehearsal, Glenn tripped over his shoelaces, and fell halfway down the aisle. Maggie got so nervous that she almost got sick, and Shawn's little girl, Katie, had a meltdown before she could walk down the aisle. Mika carried her down the aisle, but Katie still protested. Shawn, his wife, Katie, and several others stayed at the beach house next to the one Amanda and everyone else was in. After the rehearsal dinner, everyone retreated to their beach houses and went to bed early.

Amanda, however, couldn't sleep. She looked over at Rick, who was sound asleep, and Carl, who was sleeping on a cot next to the bed. Amanda decided she would make herself a snack, and walked downstairs. She saw Maggie sitting at the kitchen table, rubbing her temples with her fingers. Amanda grabbed some barbecue from the fridge and made a sandwich, sitting down next to Maggie.

"What's up, Mags?" Amanda asked.

"Everything is going wrong." Maggie whispered, her voice laced with worry.

"Not everything. You're still marrying Glenn, right?" Amanda asked. She really hoped Maggie didn't back out; she wasn't sure that Glenn could handle it.

"Yeah. But I mean, the rehearsal was terrible. What if it's like that tomorrow?" Maggie asked.

"Maggie, I promise, it'll all work out. As long as you're married to Glenn at the end of the day, you'll be just fine." Amanda said, squeezing Maggie's hand. Maggie smiled.

"You're right. All I wanna do is marry Glenn. He's everything to me." Maggie said.

"Good. Then it'll all work out." Amanda assured her.

"I feel better about it. Thanks, Amanda. You're really great." Maggie said, hugging Amanda.

"No problem, Maggie. You're pretty awesome yourself." Amanda said. The two girls bid each other goodnight after Amanda ate her sandwich, and Amanda was able to climb into bed and sleep the rest of the night. She knew she'd need it, especially with the next day's events.

Amanda awoke bright and early, before Rick and Carl did. She and Beth were busy steaming Maggie's wedding dress, the bridesmaids dresses, and the flower girl dresses. Amanda had to take out Sasha's dress just a bit (because Sasha had revealed she was actually two months pregnant, but didn't want anyone to know yet), and Beth felt the incessant need to iron everyone's shirts. Annette and Carol (who had arrived Friday evening with Merle) had gone up to the chapel to decorate, and and Amanda had pretty much resigned herself to making sure everyone knew their jobs. The wedding was at 6:00, and before they knew it, it was 4:30, and the bridesmaids were just finishing up their hair. Amanda helped Lizzie and Beth curl theirs with hot rollers, and gave their hair a 1940's look. In high school, Amanda had gotten her cosmetology license, and doing hair actually paid for her first year of college. The bridesmaids all stepped into their dresses, adjusting them and looking in the mirror. Maggie, who said she couldn't find a bridesmaid's dress she liked, made them, with the help of her mother. She bought a vintage sewing pattern and a lot of taffeta fabric, and made four dark plum colored bridesmaids dresses. They were an A-line scoop neck, and they were calf length. Amanda felt as if she'd stepped out of the late 1940's with the dress, that was complete with t-strap high heels. All the girls wore pearl bracelets and pear earrings, and all of them looked stunning. Then, it was time to go get Maggie, because it was time for them to leave for the chapel. Amanda walked back to Maggie's room and knocked on the door. Annette answered, and Amanda turned to look at Maggie.

Maggie was the most beautiful bride Amanda had ever seen. She wore a lace fit-and-flare gown with a longer train, and an embellished belt around the waist. It had wider straps, though they weren't cap sleeves. It was a v-neck, though the neckline wasn't too low. She had her hair done in a vintage 40's style, much like the bridesmaids, with a cathedral veil attached to a silver comb. She was wearing a pearl necklace, bracelet, and earrings, and she was the vision of beauty.

"Maggie, you're beautiful." Amanda said, fighting back tears. Maggie smiled.

"Let's go get married." She said. Amanda helped her up, and they all left in Annette's van on the way to the chapel. The chapel was beautifully decorated on the outside, and the inside was just as beautiful. The chapel had at one time been an old church, and now it was used for weddings and parties. Amanda walked up, taking her place behind Beth and Sasha. Lizzie followed her, and the entered slowly.

Everything, even down to the flower girls, went off without a hitch.

The wedding was beautiful, and Maggie and Glenn were obviously happy and in love. The ceremony was officiated by T-Dog, who was a preacher at the church that the Greene's had attended for years. Amanda watched Rick, who was sitting in the audience, and smiled. He mouthed "you're beautiful" to her, and her heart fluttered. She was sure the weekend had been absolutely perfect. Amanda loved watching Maggie and Glenn say their vows. The two were perfect together, and they were more in love than she'd seen any two people (besides Beth and Daryl). The reception took place on the grounds, and it was indeed a celebration. Maggie and Glenn had insisted on a red velvet wedding cake, while Glenn had a cake that was designed after the Detroit Tigers (he was originally from Michigan). The food, which had mostly been prepared by Annette and Hershel, was fantastic. Everyone was dancing and having a good time, including Amanda and Rick.

"Y'know, I can't dance." Rick said, trying miserably to keep up.

"I know. I just like having fun with you." Amanda said, dancing terribly herself. Beth had dragged a reluctant Daryl to the dance floor, but, as Amanda had guessed, he didn't do much dancing.

"He's a party pooper!" Beth said to Amanda. Beth had changed from her heels to her flats, and was dancing wildly to some song Amanda didn't know. As Amanda tried to keep up, Beth got an evil grin.

"I'm going to request a song." Beth said.

"What?" Amanda asked.

"You'll see." She said, marching over to the DJ. When the previous song was over, Amanda heard the song "Cupid's Shuffle" come on. Beth grabbed her hand, and they got everyone to join in. It was hilarious watching everyone dance, especially Rick, Daryl, and even Merle. Finally, the song stopped, and Amanda went to sit down.

"Mind if I join you?" Rick asked. Amanda smiled.

"Not at all, sweetie." Amanda said, patting the chair next to her.

"So, I think Merle and Carol are dating." Rick said.

"Why do you say that?" Amanda asked.

"Cause he brought her and Sophia here. And, they were holdin' hands earlier." Rick said. Amanda chuckled.

"They're probably gonna take it slow though." Amanda replied. Rick nodded.

"Yeah, I guess they are. I mean, Carol only kicked Ed out two and a half months ago." Rick said.

"Yeah, sometimes taking it slow's a good thing." Amanda said, deep in thought.

"Is that what we're doing?" Rick asked. Amanda looked up, surprised.

"What do you mean?" Amanda asked.

"I know you're afraid of getting too close to me. I would be too. And I kinda think you're afraid of bein' too close to me, too." Rick explained. Amanda bit her lip, unsure of how to proceed.

"Well, yeah, I am scared. What if it doesn't work out between us? What if you find someone better than me? What if..." Amanda was trying to explain when Rick interrupted her.

"I don't worry about the 'what ifs' that much. Are you afraid I compare you to Lori?" Rick asked. Amanda didn't reply, but rather sat there in silence.

"I guess that's all I needed to know." Rick said, with sadness in his voice.

"I don't know, Rick. I guess I'm afraid of rushing things. I don't want this to be a failure, you know? With Michael, I wasted nearly eight years of my life on someone who never loved me back. Or, at least he didn't in the end. How to you deal with that? How do you not be afraid?" Amanda asked. She honestly wanted to know. It wasn't that she still loved Michael, it was that she was afraid of loving Rick, because she didn't want to be hurt if and when he left.

"You think I'm gonna just up an' leave you? After everythin' you've done for me and my son? Amanda, I was with Lori for almost nine years. The pain doesn't go away, you just make room. You gotta make room for love, or the sadness eats ya alive, I guess. But, I've never met anyone like you. Bein' here with you, and Carl, it's just..." Rick was interrupted this time.

"The most perfect place in the world?" Amanda finished his sentence. Rick nodded.

"I love you, Rick. I don't wanna lose you." Amanda said.

"I don't wanna lose you either." Rick replied, "I don't wanna be with anyone else."

"I don't either." Amanda said.

As they talked, a slow song came on, and Rick invited Amanda to dance. Amanda knew the song, but it had a deeper meaning now.

"_I'm only happy when I'm with you, home for me is where you are._

_I try to smile and push on through, but home for me is where you are." _

Rick kissed Amanda's forehead as they danced close. The song continued and Amanda sang along.

"_Send out the alarms, I'm all alone, wrap me in your arms and take me home,_

_take me home, to your arms." _

"Amanda?" Rick whispered.

"Yeah?" She replied.

"I wanna be with you, for the rest of my life. I don't care if it's too soon, I know it's right. I wanna be with you. I love you. I don't care what anyone else says." Rick whispered.

Amanda's heart stopped in her chest, she was certain. No one had said those words to her, not even Michael. It seemed as if time stopped for a moment. All she could see was Rick, and it was as if everything moved in slow motion. She leaned her head on Rick's chest, wrapping her arms around his waist. She hugged him as tightly as she could for what seemed like an eternity, and then let up. She looked up to face Rick, and smiled softly.

"I wanna be with you forever, too. I do. I don't care what anyone else says. You're my person. You're it. I don't want anyone else." Amanda said. Rick smiled softly and kissed her forehead. Amanda and Rick danced all evening, until it was time for Maggie to throw the bouquet. Amanda gathered in the circle of unmarried ladies, and Maggie hoisted the bouquet high above her head. Amanda caught the bouquet, and Rick caught the garter. They held up their prizes to one another, smiling widely.

"Looks like you're stuck with me." Amanda said, grinning widely.

"I can deal with that." Rick replied, chuckling. They rode back to the beach house with Daryl and Beth that night, and crawled into bed. Amanda thought Rick was asleep as she laid on her side, thinking about everything that transpired. She loved Rick, and he loved her.. She smiled as she thought about the evening, and Rick leaned over to her, kissing her cheek.

"Just so you know," he whispered, "It won't take me eight years to marry you."

"Does that mean you wanna marry me?" Amanda asked jokingly.

"I don't just wanna marry you." Rick said, "I'm gonna marry you."

"Well Rick," Amanda replied, "I'm gonna marry you too."

Rick and Amanda stayed up all night that night, talking about marriage, and love, and what they wanted their relationship to be. When Amanda looked at the clock, she noticed it was 5:45 am, which meant the sun would be rising. Rick led her out to the balcony, and Amanda watched the sun come up over the horizon, and reflect off the waves of the beach. The view was breathtaking, and Amanda smiled widely, taking in the view. Rick hugged her waist from behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder. As her smile grew wider, he whispered into her ear.

"You just saw you're very first Tybee Island sunrise."

Amanda smiled and replied, "I can't wait to see more of these with you."


	8. Chapter 8

**It's wedding week, guys! It's gonna be crazy busy for me this week. But as of Saturday, I'm a college grad! I hope to be updating more. Chapter 9 is already in the works. They'll be a few parallels in the next few chapters (especially with season 4), and I hope you guys like the cliffhanger with this chapter. The reviews have made me so happy! Love you all!**

**-A**

Chapter 8: Thanksgiving

It was the end of November, which meant that it was time for Thanksgiving. Amanda had been planning for months to go back to Alabama to see her family, and she was hoping that Rick and Carl would join her. She knew that he would probably want to spend Thanksgiving with his family in Augusta, but she still wanted to ask. She wasn't even sure if her parents would feel comfortable with Rick and Carl being there, but she still hoped she could bring them. She wanted everyone to meet Rick and Carl, and she wanted Rick and Carl to meet her family and see her hometown. The week before Thanksgiving, she was preparing dinner in the kitchen (while Carl, Sophia, Lizzie, and Mika did their homework at the dining room table) when her phone rang. It was her mother, Vivian, so Amanda quit chopping vegetables and answered.

"Hello?" Amanda answered.

"Hey there! Long time no hear! How has your week been?" Vivian asked. Amanda talked to her parents at least twice a week, and she hadn't spoken to them by phone call for a few days.

"Pretty good. I've got all the kiddos here with me today. You getting ready for Thanksgiving?" Amanda replied.

"Oh yes! I stocked up on my spices today. Got my turkey a couple of weeks ago. I got one big enough to feed everyone." Vivian said. In the Armstrong household, Thanksgiving was a massive holiday. Vivian always planned at least a month in advance, and Amanda always loved helping her mom.

"Awesome! How many will be there?" Amanda asked. Her family wasn't that big, but everyone always usually came to her parents house for Thanksgiving.

"Well, you, your brother, Miranda, your dad. Arianna will be there with Steven like the last three years. Chris is flying in to see Miranda. Your grandmother will be there, and so will your Aunt Renee and Uncle Jeff, and Clay. And your Uncle William will be there. Oh! And Joseph and Millie and the boys are flying in from Oregon this year." Vivian explained. There would be a full house. Amanda had expected her brother's high school sweetheart, Arianna. Amanda guessed that her sister's boyfriend, Chris ,might fly in from Alaska and be there as well. It wasn't a lot of people, but it would be a good amount.

"Everyone's gonna be there!" Amanda exclaimed happily.

"Just about. Are you gonna bring Rick and Carl?" Vivian asked. Amanda bit her lip. Her mom had been accepting of Rick and Carl, but she wasn't sure how everyone else felt.

"I don't know...They may be going to Augusta. I'll have to talk to them." Amanda lied. What she meant to say was 'I'm not so sure that everyone is okay with me dating someone who was once married and has a kid.'

"Well, I think you should. You seem to really like them, and I wanna meet them." Vivian said. Well, there was no use. Once Vivian Armstrong decided something, it was happening.

"Okay, I'll talk to them tonight and let you know." Amanda promised.

"Good. I gotta go now. Me and your dad are camping over by the river in the RV. Let me know if they can come!" Vivian told her.

"I will, mom. I love you!" Amanda said.

"Love you too. Bye!" Vivian said.

Amanda went back to cooking dinner, while the kids played with Scout in the backyard. Carol and Merle had officially begun dating a few weeks ago, and Merle offered to pay Amanda to watch Lizzie and Mika. Amanda, who needed the money, agreed. The only issue she'd had was an argument between the two sisters, but after separating the two, they had begun getting along. Once everyone had eaten, Carol came and picked up the three girls, and Rick, who had to work late, finally arrived. Amanda had made him a plate and put it in the microwave, and Rick, who looked terribly hungry, was grateful. Rick finished and put his plate in the dishwasher, and then sat on the couch next to Amanda.

"So, Thanksgiving is this Thursday." Amanda began.

"Is it? I'd completely forgot. I'll be off this year. We'll get to spend it together." Rick said happily. Amanda smiled. She was very nervous about bringing up him going to Alabama with her.

"Actually, I was gonna ask you about that. How would you feel about going to Alabama with me? The family wants to meet you and Carl." Amanda said. Rick looked skeptical.

"They know I'm divorced with a ten year old?" Rick asked. The look on his face screamed anxiety.

"My family kind of has a 'no secrets policy'. They know. But they really want y'all to come." Amanda said. Rick nodded.

"You sure?" Rick asked, obviously nervous. Amanda squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"I promise. They'll love you both. Plus, I can show you where I went to college. And I know Carl will love to play around with my brother and my cousin." Amanda said. Rick smiled, somewhat relieved.

"Okay, we'll go with you. I just want to make sure that they know about me, you know? I don't want them to be surprised. But, if I'm gonna be with you, then I need to meet them. When do you wanna leave?" Rick asked.

"I was thinkin' maybe Tuesday? I know you may not be able to get off work, but if you can, I'd love to go then." Amanda said.

"Well, I've actually got some vacation days saved up. I think we can swing that." Rick said, smiling. Amanda's heart leapt every time he did that.

"Oh thank you!" Amanda squealed, hugging Rick tightly. "I love you!"

"I love you too, sweetheart." Rick said. Amanda was so excited for her family to meet Rick. She knew that this Thanksgiving would be memorable, and she was excited to share it with the loves of her life.

Rick, Amanda, and Carl left Amanda's house at 6:30 in the morning on Tuesday. Carl slept almost the whole way, and Amanda and Rick made small talk. After two hours of driving, Amanda and Rick stopped to change drivers just after what Alabama drivers called "Malfunction Junction", and the three got a quick breakfast just off of the interstate. Amanda had driven that route hundreds of times, having family in Montgomery, and she knew the way better than Rick, so she suggested she drive to Florence. Traffic was heavy through Birmingham, but once they hit Cullman, everything was smooth sailing. When they hit highway 157 toward Muscle Shoals, Amanda got excited.

"Are we close?" Rick asked.

"About 35 minutes now!" Amanda exclaimed.

When they crossed the river into Florence, Amanda got misty eyed. She hadn't been in Florence since the end of June, and coming back made her realize just how much she'd missed it. They drove through the historic downtown, and made the turn to head to the county. Her family was a good 20 minutes outside of town, and she liked it that way.

Amanda made the turn on to the county road, and knew she was close. Before long, she could see her parents long gravel driveway peer into view and she drove on to it, her face plastered with a smile.

"That's a big house." She heard Carl exclaim from the back. She looked back to see that Scout had perked up, and was barking in recognition. The closer they got to the house, Jake, her parents German Shepherd, ran out to greet them, barking loudly. Jake had been a present to her mom and dad after their collie, Daisy, died her junior year of college. Jake was a huge dog, but in reality, he was her parents fourth child.

Amanda pulled up next to the house, in front of her dad's large, white work shop. Her dad had built it a few years ago, and since he'd 'retired', he spent most of his time there. Amanda's mother, Vivian, heard the commotion and came outside, wearing an apron and an Alabama football jersey.

"Y'all made it!" She exclaimed, walking quickly to the truck. She hugged Amanda tightly, and smiled. She looked at Rick and Carl, and pulled them both into a hug.

"Guys, this is my mom, Vivian. Mom, this is Rick and Carl." Amanda introduced them. Carl smiled awkwardly, not sure of how to take Vivian. Amanda often joked that her mother had Care Bear DNA, and was extremely hyper-happy. She was never a "traditional" girly mom, but there was always a plate of cookies in the kitchen and always room at the table for supper. Her mother was the friendliest person she knew, and even that was an understatement.

"Well, I could see that." Vivian said, putting her hands on her hips, "Little man, I hear you like baseball."

Carl's eyes lit up. "Yeah! I do!"

"Well, we're just gonna have to play baseball this evenin', aren't we?" Vivian asked, smirking.

"Yeah!" Carl said excitedly. Vivian turned to Amanda and Rick.

"So Rick, I hear you know how to work on cars?" Vivian asked. Rick looked at Amanda, who gave him a shrug, and he smiled.

"Yes ma'am, I do." He replied.

"Well, good. Bernard is havin' a royal fit out there trying to put a starter in his old truck. He may need some help before long." She explained. Amanda's father, Bernard (which they all pronounced Ber-nerd) knew how to work on cars, but the problem was that his old Toyota's engine was smaller than his hands were, and it was a source of frustration even before Amanda had left for Georgia.

"I'll see what I can do then." Rick said, chuckling. Vivian smiled.

"Well y'all come on in to the house. I know it's a little early for lunch, but I made a whole mess of peanut butter fudge that isn't gonna eat itself." She said. Amanda and Rick grabbed their bags, following Vivian and Carl into the house. The farmhouse, which had been in Amanda's dad's family for over a hundred years, was the only place Amanda had ever lived. They'd completely renovated the place when Amanda was a teenager, but still kept some original pieces, like the wood floors. The large white house had a large wrap around porch, with a porch swing and chairs. Amanda spent many summer nights sitting out there with her parents, or swinging on the tire swing her dad had built in the front yard. To Amanda, this was home. They walked inside, and the house was as beautiful as Amanda had remembered. They put their bags down in the living room and walked to the kitchen, and Rick's eyes widened.

"You never told me your family was rich." He whispered.

"That's only a recent thing, I promise. We were poor until I was like 12." Amanda replied. In truth, Amanda could remember growing up in poverty. Her father was a disabled veteran, and had gone to work for his father at their contracting business. It wasn't until her grandfather died that her father was able to get the company out of debt and making a profit. When the company became a success, her father renovated the farmhouse to her mother's specifications, which included a chef's kitchen. She and her mother loved to cook, and the kitchen was really the center of their home.

They sat down at the round kitchen table, and Vivian made Carl a glass of chocolate milk.

"Mama, you're gonna spoil that boy." Amanda said.

"Well, all my babies are grown. You're the guilty one, you brought me a kiddo to spoil." Vivian said, ruffling Carl's hair. Rick laughed. Amanda looked exactly like her mother, except her mother was four inches taller. Rick had guessed that Vivian had once had brown hair like Amanda's, but it was now silver, and pulled back into a ponytail.

Vivian made Rick and Amanda glasses of chocolate milk too, and they sat at the table with Vivian, updating her on Amanda's life in Georgia. As they began to catch up, Amanda's dad walked in, and Rick's eyes widened out of nervousness.

"Vivian! Is Amanda here yet?" Amanda heard her dad yell from the back porch.

"Well I dunno, Bernard, why don't ya come see for yourself!" She called back playfully. Amanda's dad walked into the kitchen, and Amanda ran over to him, hugging him tightly.

"Daddy! I missed you!" She said.

"I missed you too, baby. It's been forever." Bernard said. Amanda was completely engulfed in his hug. Her father was a large man, nearly 6'9", and was just as thin at 55 as he was when he got out of the Air Force. Amanda could see panic on Rick's face, and she hoped she could ease his worry.

"Daddy, this is Rick and his son, Carl. Guys, this is my daddy." Amanda said proudly. Bernard reached forward and shook Rick's hand.

"Bernard Armstrong, it's so nice to meet you." Bernard said to Rick.

"Rick Grimes. It's great to meet you, too." Rick replied. Bernard turned to Carl, and offered him his hand, too. Carl looked up at the giant of a man, and tried to hide behind his dad.

"I promise I'm not as scary as I look." Bernard said reassuringly. Carl looked up shyly.

"You promise?" Carl asked. Bernard laughed.

"Yes sir! I hear you like dogs. How's about we go play with my big dog, Jake? I bet Scout's out there, too. And I think I may need some help on my old work truck. Do you think you could help me out? I'm an old man, I ain't what I used to be!" Bernard said, almost theatrically. Amanda knew her parents loved kids, Bernard especially. In fact, her parents were in the process of adopting two children—siblings—from the Ukraine. She smiled as Carl warmed up, and shook his hand.

"I think I can do that." Carl said quietly.

"Well, good! Cause I know ol' Jake loves to play, and I'm too old to keep up with him!" Bernard said. Carl laughed. Bernard took Carl outside, and Amanda could see them playing with Jake and Scout through the window. Vivian laughed as she sat down on the couch next to Rick.

"We were so excited when Amanda said y'all were coming." Vivian said. Amanda could hear them, but kept herself facing the window. She knew where her mother was going, and she figured she should probably just keep quiet on this trip down the rabbit hole.

"We were excited too." Rick said.

"I know you were nervous. I could see it. Don't be." Vivian said. There it was, Vivian Armstrong's cut-to-the-chase.

"Well, you gotta understand what I was thinkin'. Here I am, an old man, coming to Thanksgiving with your little girl, and I bring my son with me." Rick explained. Amanda bit her lip. She wanted to turn around, but watching Bernard and Carl made her heart melt.

"Son, you're not old," Amanda could hear Vivian pat his leg, "When you're my age, you're old. We were nervous at first, but Amanda told us about you and Carl's situation. That girl has been the best judge of character since she could walk. If you were bad people, she'd know." Well, at least her mom had faith in her.

"She's the best." Rick said.

"I know. She's my child." Vivian said jokingly. Amanda couldn't help but turn around at that.

"Mama! Seriously!" Amanda said.

"What? I can't help that I was a good parent." Vivian said, laughing. Rick laughed along with her. The three took the afternoon to catch up, and eventually Amanda helped her mother make dinner. Amanda had forgotten how much she missed cooking dinner with her mom, making a traditional Eastern European dish that her family loved. Amanda was chopping onions when she noticed Rick talking with her sister, Miranda, in the living room.

"You know, Miranda was gonna wait to tell you, but she got a music scholarship—actually, she got a few." Vivian said, stirring the mean in the pot.

"Where to?" Amanda asked. Her younger sister, Miranda, was an accomplished musician. She was a beautiful alto, and played several instruments. She was a local celebrity, and everyone—including Amanda—loved to hear hear sing.

"University of Washington, University of Puget Sound, University of Alabama, Columbia University, UCLA, Purdue, and West Alabama, UNA, and Kennesaw State. She's not sure which to choose though." Vivian said, concentrating on her work.

"That's a hefty list, Mom. I'd kill for that many schools wanting me." Amanda replied.

"If you do recall, you had a full ride to UNA, missy. And to Auburn, Alabama, and Tennessee Tech. And you chose to live at home." Vivian laughed, grabbing the cutting board full of onions and scraping them into the pot.

"None of them involved dorm costs, and I didn't have to live in a dorm if I stayed here." Amanda said. In truth, Amanda didn't want to leave home; Michael was her reason to stay back then.

"True. But we loved you being here. We miss you." Vivian said.

"I miss you guys, too." Amanda said, hugging her mom. They put the lids on the pots, and cleaned the kitchen. Dinner wouldn't be finished for another hour, and Amanda decided to join Rick and Miranda in the living room. Miranda was six years younger than Amanda. The two were polar opposites, much like Beth and Maggie. Unlike Amanda, Miranda was taller, at 5'9", with nearly porcelain skin. Miranda had long, nearly black hair, while Amanda kept hers a little past her shoulders, and hers was a reddish brown. Miranda had cool gray eyes, while Amanda's were deep brown, almost black. Miranda was quiet, and highly sensitive, whereas Amanda was more gregarious and thought things through. Amanda was very protective of her little sister, but Miranda seemed to be doing well. Amanda walked up behind Rick and Miranda, who were sitting on the couch, flipping through a photo album. Amanda smiled as she heard Miranda explaining something to Rick.

"This was the summer Amanda broke her leg. Had to spend the whole summer in a cast, and she complained. All. The. Time." Miranda explained, pointing to the picture of a twelve-year-old Amanda with a purple cast covering her shin.

"I complained cause you and Steven kept rubbin' it in my face that y'all could swim and I couldn't!" Amanda exclaimed, sticking her tongue out at her sister. Rick laughed.

"How'd you break your leg, exactly?" Rick asked.

"Long story, it's kinda stupid..."Amanda went on, hoping she wouldn't have to explain it.

"You wanna know? She got grounded because she didn't do her chores, and so mom made her cut the grass with the push mower, and she managed to step in a pretty steep hole in the yard. Broke her leg, it was pretty funny, mostly because mom didn't believe her at first." Miranda chuckled.

"She didn't believe you?" Rick asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She wasn't a fan of chore time. She liked to fake injury." Miranda explained.

"But she felt pretty bad when they had to put screws in my leg!" Amanda said, pulling up her pant leg to reveal the scar from the surgery.

"I wondered what that was from." Rick said.

"Yeah, wasn't the first time she broke a bone." Miranda said, flipping through the photo album to another picture, "She broke her hand getting me un-stuck out of a tree. And she broke her arm playing football. AND, Amanda, show him that gnarly scar on your side!" Miranda commanded, pointing to Amanda's ribs. Amanda reluctantly lifted her shirt up, revealing a long, linear scar going vertically over her ribcage.

"What is that?!" Rick asked.

"I was climbin' a tree down at my aunts house in Montgomery one Memorial Day weekend. I was up at the top—about ten feet—and the branch I was sittin' on broke, and I hit every branch on the way down. Broke four ribs, got a concussion, and busted my face to pieces. And now I have an epic scar." Amanda explained.

"I should just put you in bubble wrap." Rick said, obviously concerned.

"I'd find a way to break something." Amanda replied.

"We used to call her 'Accident Prone Annie' growing up. It's a miracle she's still alive." Miranda laughed.

"I can see why now." Rick said, laughing. Amanda joined the three on the couch, and Amanda began looking through the photo album. She showed Rick pictures of her childhood, and he seemed intrigued.

"You were a cute kid." He said. Amanda pointed to the picture of her in her freshman year of high school. She had glasses, braces, and was wearing a sweater with cats on it.

"I was not." She said, tapping the picture. Rick kissed the side of her head. "You were still cute. Plus you grew into the beauty." He said. Amanda smiled. Vivian called the family for dinner, and everyone came in. Carl, who had been the work shop with Bernard, came in, smiling wildly as his face was covered in grease.

"Mr. Armstrong, he said that my hands were tiny enough to put a starter in!" He exclaimed proudly. Rick laughed, looking at the grease bucket that was his son.

"Yeah, you're gonna go wash up before you come to the table. Wash your hands and your face, I didn't raise ya to be a heathen." Rick said, pointing toward the hall bathroom. Carl muttered a 'yes sir', and walked off to wash his hands. Vivian laughed, and pointed at Bernard.

"Bernard Willis, you too. Wash those filthy hands off!" She said.

"I'm not _that _dirty." Bernard said.

"Go wash your hands now! No dinner till you do!" She said. Bernard nodded, and walked over to the kitchen sink, washing his hands. The family sat down to dinner around the old wooden table, saying grace before eating dinner. Rick looked at the dinner, unsure of what exactly it was.

"It's goulash, on top of a Polish potato pancake." Amanda explained. Rick tried a bite and nodded. "This is good." He said.

"It's my grandmother's recipe. No one can turn it down!" Vivian said.

"So, you're Polish?" Rick asked.

"A mix, really. My grandfather was from Poland. My grandmother was Hungarian. They met in the states." Vivian explained.

Carl looked as if he was in heaven, nearly inhaling the food on his plate before asking for more. Rick and Amanda both chuckled; Carl didn't normally eat much. Dinner was a success, and Amanda was so glad that everything was going well. She hoped Thanksgiving went as well as dinner did, and she couldn't wait for Rick to meet the rest of the family.

Thanksgiving day arrived, and Amanda, her mother, grandmother, aunt, and sister were busier than ever. They'd even enlisted the help of Steven's girlfriend, Arianna. Amanda's cousin, Millie, was there as well, and the group was deeply entranced in making Thanksgiving dinner. Amanda had even put Carl to work grating the cheese for the macaroni and cheese. She had to keep the boy from eating the cheese before it got to the casserole dish, just like her brother used to. Amanda tried to make her famous broccoli casserole but kept getting sidetracked by Miranda, who had effectively dropped an entire casserole dish of green bean casserole, and they had to not only make another batch of green bean casserole, but they had to deal with the wrath of Vivian because they'd broken one of her 'good casserole dishes'. Then, Amanda accidentally caught one of the oven mitts on fire by keeping it too close to the gas stove (because she was too intently focused on the elbow macaroni that was boiling), which made Miranda lose her temper. The entire kitchen was chaos, and Miranda and Amanda were fighting intently.

"DOES YOUR FACE ACTUALLY HAVE TO LOOK LIKE THAT?! I AM SICK OF IT!" Miranda yelled as she drained the potatoes and got them ready to mash.

"Geez, what's your problem? You don't have to be such a witch." Amanda replied as she pulled the broccoli and green bean casseroles out of the oven. Vivian walked past her and quietly whispered in her ear.

"Chris isn't here yet. She thinks he isn't going to make it. She thinks he got held up."

Miranda's boyfriend, Chris, was from Alaska, of Eskimo descent. They'd met by chance, when he was stationed at the Army base an hour away. He'd apparently joined the Army to get away from Alaska, but wound up getting stationed back there just a few months later. Miranda and Amanda had flown up to Fairbanks in June before Amanda left to see Chris, and he had planned to fly in for Thanksgiving. Now, it seemed, that his absence was the source of Miranda's foul mood.

"Is he held up?" Amanda asked her mother discreetly. Vivian made a funny face.

"Just wait and see." She said, grabbing the basket of rolls and placing them on the dining room table. Rick entered the kitchen, kissing Amanda on the cheek.

"Anything I can help with?" He asked. Amanda smiled.

"As a matter of fact, I need help with this big ol' turkey." Amanda said. Rick obliged, helping her pull the twenty-five pound bird out of the oven. They began setting the table, putting the casseroles, potatoes, turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, cole slaw, and macaroni and cheese on the table. It was a lot of food, but Amanda loved the idea of it. Food was always a big deal in her family. As they all sat down, Bernard stood up at the head of the table, carving the turkey. He cleared his throat, and smiled widely.

"I guess y'all can see Amanda brought back a boyfriend from Georgia," He began, "And in case y'all can't remember his name, this is Rick's little boy, and my little buddy, Carl. And we just want y'all to know that we're so proud you're here. Now, we have another special thing to take care of. Miranda, I need you to go open the door." Bernard said.

"Why?" Miranda asked, with a sour look on her face.

"Just go open the door. There's a surprise." Bernard said.

Miranda went to the front door and screamed loudly, and Amanda ran to the door, afraid something was wrong. She stood in the hallway and watched as Miranda's boyfriend, Chris, stood, twirling Miranda around. He was still in his ACU's, and looked like he'd just gotten there.

"I thought you weren't coming!" Miranda cried. Amanda cried quietly as she held Rick's hand. She loved to see her sister so happy.

"I wasn't supposed to, but I got leave. It's, uh, actually, the last leave I'll take. I got my discharge papers. I get out in March!" Chris exclaimed. Miranda only cried harder.

"Y—you m—mean y—you get out?" Miranda sobbed. Chris nodded.

"Yep. Now I got my college paid for, since I was in Afghanistan. I can start in the fall with you." Chris said. Amanda smiled. She knew Miranda and Chris wanted to go to college together. Miranda was afraid they wouldn't get the chance when he got deployed. Now, they had the chance. Amanda laid her head on Rick and she watched her sister.

"Yep. Miranda, you're the love of my life, really. I always thought I'd retire with the Army, didn't think I could do anything else. You changed that. You changed all of that, and I can't imagine myself with anyone else...That's why I'm here. Miranda Kaitlin Armstrong,"

Chris got down on one knee. Amanda squeezed Rick's hand tightly.

"Will you marry me?" Chris asked, opening a ring box.

"YES!" Miranda sobbed, hugging Chris tightly. The entire family began to clap and cheer as Chris slipped the ring on to Miranda's finger. Amanda grabbed her mother.

"Are you okay with this?" Amanda asked.

"Miranda turns eighteen in two weeks. They set a wedding date for after she turns 19. Yes, I'm fine with it. They love each other." Vivian said. Amanda was still unsure, but she knew Chris made her sister happy. They all sat down at the table and ate Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone seemed to love Rick, and Carl quickly stole everyone's heart. Amanda took pride in how well they got along with everyone. Amanda missed these times with her family, and would miss them even more when she left. As Thanksgiving day neared its end, everyone sat in the living room, telling stories of childhood. Rick learned more about Amanda's childhood, and about her family. By nine o'clock, Amanda had fallen asleep on Rick's shoulder, and she woke up to him carrying her upstairs to her old bedroom.

"You didn't have to do that." She whispered.

"Yeah I did. You were worn out." Rick said.

"I love you." Amanda said.

"I love you too." Rick replied. He walked out of her room and closed the door, and she stared at the ceiling, deep in thought. She wasn't sure how she'd managed to get so lucky, but she was glad she did. She smiled to herself, and closed her eyes. Sleep came easy, and that night, she slept well.

Amanda and Rick left that Saturday, and Rick promised Amanda's family that he and Carl would return at Christmas. After a series of tearful goodbyes, Amanda, Rick, Carl, and Scout were finally on the road to Georgia. The drive back to Georgia seemed to fly by, but it had already gotten dark by the time they'd reached Amanda's house. When they got home, Amanda brought her bags in, and unpacked her things. Rick entered her bedroom, hugging her from behind.

"I like your family a lot." Rick said. Amanda smiled.

"They like you a lot too." Amanda replied. Rick kissed her cheek.

"I can't wait to go back to Alabama. I like it there." Rick whispered.

"I'm glad." Amanda said, smiling. Amanda turned around to face him, kissing his lips softly. Rick smiled. As they pulled away, Rick's cell phone rang. It was work, she could tell.

"Deputy Grimes. What's up, Dixon?" He answered. Instantly, the color drained from his face. A look of horror overcame him, and he motioned for his keys.

"I'll be right there. Bye." He said, hanging up the phone.

"What was that about?" Amanda asked.

"Call Beth and get her to watch Carl. You need to come with me." Rick said.

"What happened?" Amanda asked.

"Merle's responding to a call for a double homicide. I need you to follow me in your truck." He replied.

"Why? What's going on?" Amanda asked.

"I need you to keep the victim's family out of the house." Rick said, rushing her out of the house as Beth walked past.

"Who's the victim's family, Rick? Rick? RICK!" Amanda tried to get his attention.

"Michonne! It's Michonne!" Rick exclaimed, almost yelling.

"Michonne's the homicide victim?" Amanda asked fearfully.

"No." Rick said, "It's Mike and Andre."


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello, guys!**

**I wanted to update a lot this week, because I'll be on my honeymoon next week and won't get to. This chapter is a bit long, but I felt the ****story needed some intensity-it couldn't be fluff all of the time. Part of the chapter was inspired by the episode "Claimed" in season 4, when Rick kills one of the Claimers. Things are going to be very intense for the next few chapters, but there will be some fluff! Much thanks to my biggest supporter, The Reading Dead, too! You all are so awesome, and I am so grateful! **

**Much love!**

**-A**

Chapter 9: Fear

Amanda couldn't see straight the entire drive to Michonne's house; her eyes were filled with tears. Amanda had become close to Michonne over the past month, especially after watching Andre on Thursday and Friday afternoons. She wasn't sure who could take the life of an innocent person like Mike, much less a toddler. Whoever it was, they were ruthless, and Amanda worried. Most of the violent crime happened in Alpharetta, twenty minutes away. Whatever was going on wasn't good, and that terrified Amanda. If they could hurt Michonne's family, they could just as easily hurt hers. Amanda was absolutely petrified that Rick, Merle, Tara, or Abraham would be next. As she pulled up behind Rick, she saw him run out of his patrol car and into the house, slamming the door behind him. Michonne was held back by Tara, who had trouble keeping her near the patrol cars.

"Mike! Andre!" She cried hysterically. Her face and hands were bloody, as were her clothes. Amanda ran up to Michonne, tears filling her eyes. Michonne broke free of Tara's grip, and Amanda grabbed her tightly, pinning her arms to her sides.

"Michonne, you can't go in there!" Amanda screamed.

"My baby!" Michonne cried. She was absolutely hysterical.

"Michonne, you can't go in there. You can't see what's in there." Amanda said, sitting her down in the grass. She held her tightly, and Michonne cried into her shoulder.

"I already saw what's in there, Amanda! They're gone. My baby, Mike, they're both gone!" She cried. Amanda was sobbing too, but she knew she had to keep it together for Michonne. Tara had a look of absolute fear in her eyes; clearly the new deputy wasn't used to seeing this kind of brutality. An ambulance pulled up, and Sasha jumped out, another EMT following her. They ran inside, the door slamming behind them.

"Michonne, are you hurt? Are you okay?" Amanda asked. Michonne shook her head, rocking back and forth.

"No, no, no. They didn't hurt me like that." Michonne muttered, her bottom lip quivering. She began to shake uncontrollably, sobbing more. Amanda's heart broke for her.

"Were you there? Did you see what happened?" Amanda asked. She didn't want to press it, but she needed to know.

"No, no. I—I w—wasn't t—t—there. I came home and... And..." Michonne cried harder. Amanda understood that Michonne had been the one to find them. Amanda held Michonne tightly, almost afraid to let go of her. Whoever did this to Michonne's family, to Mike and to Andre, they weren't good people. They weren't people you'd want to run into. They were killers. Amanda hoped that Beth had locked the door.

Amanda saw Sasha and the other EMT walk back outside, looks of horror plastered across their faces. They walked back to the ambulance, and grabbed the stretcher. They had called for another ambulance, which had just arrived. The EMTs took the stretchers inside the house, faces somber. Bob exited the house and began to tape off the crime scene with Tara, his face almost hollow. Michonne broke free of Amanda's grip and stood up, running to Bob. She swallowed her sobs slightly, and looked at him seriously.

"Who did this to my family?" She asked, her voiced laced with sorrow and anger. Bob shook his head.

"I don't know yet." Bob whispered gravely. Amanda frowned. She could tell Bob was very upset, especially now that he had a baby on the way. Bob stayed outside as Sasha and the other EMTs brought Mike and Andre's bodies out of the house in stretchers, in black body bags. Michonne sobbed uncontrollably at the site of her boyfriend and young son being removed; and Amanda could see the looks of horror on the faces of Rick and Merle. Both looked as if they'd seen a ghost, and Amanda knew Rick wasn't going to be okay—not after seeing whatever he'd saw. Merle and Rick walked off the porch, and Merle approached Michonne, his demeanor softening at the sight of her.

"Michonne, sweetheart, we need to ask you some questions at the station." Merle whispered.

Michonne nodded, tears filling her eyes again. "You're going to find out who killed Mike and my baby, right? You will, won't you?" Her voice cracked. She looked so fragile, so small.

"We're gonna try. But we need to talk to you. We need to figure out if you could have any clues at all. We're not saying we think it's you at all, we just need to find out if there was anyone who could have wanted to do you harm." Merle explained. Michonne nodded, and sat in the back of his patrol car. He climbed in the driver's seat and backed out of the driveway, and Amanda watched as Merle's patrol car drove down the road. Amanda sobbed, hugging her waist as she shook. Rick walked up to her, his face dark.

"You need to go home, right now." Rick said darkly.

"Are you okay, Rick?" Amanda asked softly. He shook his head. Amanda tried to hug him, but he raised his hand.

"I can't. Not right now. You need to go home, and you need to lock the door, and you need to call Daryl and Beth, and have them stay with you tonight." Rick explained. Amanda was unsure of what was going on.

"Rick, what's going on? Why aren't you telling me anything?" Amanda asked.

"Amanda, go home!" He snarled. Amanda walked backward, unsure of why he was acting so harshly. She nodded, jumping in her truck and rushing home. She put the key in her lock and unlocked the door, and found Daryl and Beth sitting on the couch.

"Merle told us to head over." Daryl said, "He's shook up somethin' awful."

"So is Rick." Amanda said, almost whispering.

"Merle said he was." Daryl replied.

"What happened?" Beth asked softly.

"To be honest, I don't really know. I know Michonne was the one that found Mike and Andre, other than that, I have no idea." Amanda said.

"Merle said Mike was high off his gourd, but someone came in and killed 'em both. Andre was still in his crib." Daryl said. Beth began to cry, and he held her. Amanda sat down in the chair across from the couch, and cried along with Beth.

"I didn't even know that much." Amanda said, "Rick wouldn't tell me. Wouldn't even really come near me."

"He's freaked out. He's never seen somethin' that rough." Daryl replied, "Plus, it's a kid. That stuff don't sit well with him. It never did."

"I don't know how bad it was. I just know Michonne was covered in blood." Amanda said.

"We won't know how bad it is till Rick and Merle get back." Daryl said. Amanda nodded, walking down the hall. She walked to the guest bedroom, which Carl was asleep in. She laid next to him, stroking his hair gently. If anything happened to Carl, she didn't know what she'd do. Carl was everything to her. If something like that happened to Rick and Carl, she didn't know if she could survive. Sleep didn't come for Amanda that night. She sobbed most of the night, into the wee hours of the morning. She sent Daryl and Beth home just before dawn, and she tried to get some rest on the couch. Unfortunately for her, fear overcame her senses, and she slept with her gun on the coffee table. She had just drifted off after the sun came up, and then she heard her door begin to unlock. The door opened, and she grabbed her pistol, aiming it at the door.

It was just Rick, who saw her pointing the gun.

"Put the gun down. It's just me." He said, almost angrily. Amanda sat the pistol down on the coffee table, and laid back down on the couch.

"Did you sleep last night?" Rick asked blankly.

"No." Amanda replied, her voice hollow.

"I didn't figure you did." Rick said, going to the kitchen and getting a glass of water. Amanda sat up, pulling her knees to her chest. She sat silently while Rick made coffee, and Rick poured himself a cup. He sat down on the couch next to Amanda, she moved away slightly. They sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity, until Amanda got up off of the couch, walking to the bathroom. She got into the shower, staying in until she'd run out all of the hot water. Her tears mixed with the water, and she finally got out long after the water had grown cold. She crawled into bed, curling up in a ball. Rick walked into the room, sitting down next to her on the bed, she looked up at him, unsure of what to think.

"Maybe you should take Carl and go back to your place. Or maybe just you need to go back to your place. I don't know, I'm just freaked out." Amanda muttered.

"I'm not leaving." Rick said flatly. Amanda sat up.

"I need some sleep, Rick." Amanda replied sharply.

"Then sleep, Amanda." Rick snapped, "But I'm not leaving."

"Why not? What if I just don't want to see you right now?" Amanda asked.

"I don't care if you don't want to see me, Amanda, I'm not leaving. Not after what happened there last night." Rick said.

"What happened there last night, Rick? Why won't you tell me?" Amanda asked.

"Because I don't wanna think about it! I can't!" Rick said, raising his voice.

"I need to know!" Amanda said, raising her voice back. Rick growled, standing up. He paced slowly.

"They beat Mike to death. They gutted him, Amanda. I've never seen anything like it before. And Andre, they killed him while he was in his crib. I can't tell you what they did to him, I don't want to replay it again. But we know who they are, and I know that I've gotta find them 'fore they hurt someone else." Rick said. He was obviously bothered.

"Wait, you know who it was?" Amanda asked, sitting closer to Rick. Rick began to tremble as he look at Amanda.

"It was this biker gang. They call themselves the Marauders. Or the Claimers. Either name works I guess. But Mike, Mike was buyin' drugs from 'em. Meth, coke, heroin, all of it. Amanda, all of it was near his body when we found 'im. He kept it from Michonne. She put one of their guys in jail six months ago, we thought it was an isolated incident. Apparently, he ordered a hit on Mike. There was a note in Andre's crib, and they did it to get Michonne back." Rick stood up, wringing his hands. He pinched the bridge of his nose, turning to look at Amanda.

"I've seen horrible accidents with kids before—kids drowning in the backyard pool, kids getting hit by a car. Kids opening a bottle of pills. I've seen accidents, before. This wasn't an accident. They killed that little boy in cold blood, Amanda. They just—they just killed him!" Rick was yelling, his hands trembling as if he were a shell-shocked war veteran. His eyes were hollow, he looked terrified. Amanda stood up, holding Rick. She could feel him trembling, and she knew that he'd remember this night for the rest of his life; some things you can't forget.

"I don't know what to say." Amanda whispered, "I wish I could say you'll forget it, but I know you can't unsee stuff like that."

"I won't ever forget what I saw. Or the complete look of devastation on Michonne's face. Amanda, I don't know what's worse for her: losing her little boy or knowing his daddy didn't try to protect him." Rick confessed. Amanda knew if anyone ever tried to hurt Carl, Rick wouldn't hesitate to take them out. How anyone could fail to protect their own child was beyond her.

Amanda sat down on the bed, pulling Rick with her. He laid on the bed next to her, holding her almost so tightly that she couldn't breathe. His gaze was focused on her, afraid to watch anything else. Amanda could tell he was shaken to his core; no one had ever watched her this closely. Amanda moved herself closer to him, placing her hand on his cheek.

"I'm really sorry I've snapped at you." Rick apologized.

"I know you're scared, Rick." Amanda replied.

"I arrested that guy that Michonne helped convict. I think his name was Len. But I arrested him, found drugs on him, he had three outstanding warrants. I am terrified he'll come after you and Carl." Rick admitted. He began to shake furiously, and Amanda couldn't calm him. Amanda got up, motioning to him that she'd be back in a second. She reached for her pistol on the coffee table, and took it back to her room. Rick watched her carefully as she opened the drawer on her nightstand, pulling out a box of hollow point bullets. Amanda emptied the barrel, taking out the full metal jackets. She loaded the hollow points into her .357. She reached under her bed, pulling out her black Mossberg 20 gague shotgun. She put a slug in the chamber and Rick heard the unmistakable cock of the shotgun.

"If anyone wants in here, they're gonna have to go through me. A slug will blow a hole straight through 'em." Amanda said.

Rick nodded. "I know exactly what it'll do. You ever shot anyone before?" Rick asked seriously.

"Yes." Amanda replied hesitantly. Rick did a double take.

"Excuse me?" He asked, making sure he heard her.

"I didn't kill them, but my junior year of college, a guy who was stalking me tried to kill me in the parking deck at school. I shot him in the kneecap." Amanda replied, no remorse in her voice.

"He tried to kill you?" Rick asked.

"He wanted to wear my skin. He admitted it to police, too. So yes, I shot him, and I don't regret it. I was a self defense instructor, too. I'm not gonna let anyone hurt me or Carl. Especially not Carl." Amanda said. Rick nodded, unsure of what to say. Amanda put the shotgun back under her bed, and opened a small safe, revealing a compact 9mm.

"Just how many guns do you have?" Rick asked.

"Five." Amanda replied, "I used to trap shoot in high school, and that's why I have shotguns. Plus, I used to hunt. The pistols are for personal protection. This one will be with me at all times." Amanda replied, cocking the pistol to put a round in the chamber.

"At least I know you're prepared." Rick said.

"You should be, too." Amanda said. Rick motioned to the Colt Python on his hip.

"I already am." He said. Amanda nodded. Amanda put the guns away as she heard Carl wake up. She could hear him talking to Scout, and he walked into the bedroom.

"Dad, is Michonne okay?" Carl asked. Rick frowned, as did Amanda.

"No son." Rick sighed, "Some bad people hurt Mike and Andre."

"Are they dead?" Carl asked. Amanda began to cry.

"Yeah, son. Yeah they are." Rick said, "I wish I could say it differently."

Carl shuffled from one foot to the other, biting his lip. He walked toward Amanda and Rick, wrapping his arms around them both.

"Were they bad people that killed Mike and Andre?" Carl asked.

"Yeah, Carl, they were." Amanda said quietly.

"They won't hurt us, will they?" Carl asked.

"No, son. They won't hurt you at all." Rick said.

It had been a week since the murders of Mike and Andre, and everyone seemed to be moving in slow motion. The funeral for both was the saddest one Amanda had ever been to, and Rick had become obsessed with finding the Marauders. Rick was often working late into the night once he actually got off, and Amanda hadn't had much interaction with him. Rick was intent on keeping Amanda and Carl safe, but she was worried that he'd plunge too deep into his obsession. The Marauders had become brazen in their criminal activity; breaking into Hershel's veterinary clinic and stealing all the drugs he had, setting three patrol cars on fire, and even breaking into Dale's shop. Rick was becoming agitated, and Amanda knew it was only a matter of time before he erupted. This was only going to end one of two ways: either Rick would arrest them all, or they would kill Rick. Amanda had hoped that it was the former.

Amanda had just arrived home from class on Tuesday, eleven days after the murders. She was jumpy, especially when there was a knock at the door. Amanda held her pistol close and looked through the peep hole, realizing it was only Beth.

"Beth? Whatcha doing home?" Amanda asked. Beth shuffled around, walking into the house.

"I need you to go to the store with me." Beth whispered.

"Why? What's wrong?" Amanda asked. Beth bit her lip, mumbling something incoherent.

"Beth, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on." Amanda said, grabbing Beth by the shoulders to emphasize her point.

"I'll explain when we get there. Just please go with me." Beth said. Amanda sighed, grabbing her keys. They drove to the drug store up the road and Beth walked in sheepishly, and Amanda followed. Amanda realized why Beth was acting so odd when they hit aisle 10: Beth grabbed four pregnancy tests. Amanda blinked widely, noticing the nervousness in Beth's demeanor.

"You're married, Beth. It's not a sin to be pregnant." Amanda said.

"We wanted to wait. Geez, we were so careful, I've been on birth control..." Beth began.

"Wait. Beth, how pregnant do you think you are?" Amanda asked.

"Well, my last period was before Maggie's wedding in October." Beth said.

"Beth, it's the first of December now. You haven't had a period this month at all." Amanda explained.

"How could this have happened?!" Beth asked worriedly. Then it hit Amanda.

"Beth, do you remember right before the wedding when you got sick?" Amanda asked. Ah, antibiotics, causing unwanted pregnancies for a long, long time.

"Yeah. What about it?" Beth asked.

"You were on antibiotics. The birth control pills don't work then!" Amanda said as Beth paid for the pregnancy tests.

Beth's face twisted. "Oh no." She said, panic creeping onto her face. Amanda couldn't help but giggle slightly; she thought of one of her favorite movie lines: 'that's one doodle that can't be undid'.

Amanda drove back home, and she and Beth hurried into the house. Beth ran straight for the refrigerator, drinking nearly the entire bottle of Amanda's apple juice. Then, she grabbed the boxes of pregnancy tests and ran to the bathroom. Beth called for Amanda, and they set the timers for the first two tests, setting them on the bathroom counter.

"Well, if I am pregnant, at least the baby will be due in the summer. I just wanted to be done with college first." Beth grimaced. Amanda could understand; college and a baby were not easy to do, though she'd seen her friends master the art of juggling both.

"I know. But, you'd make a great mom." Amanda said. The timer buzzed, and they each grabbed a test.

"Positive." Beth read. Her face seemed unreadable.

Amanda looked at the test she was holding. "Positive." She said.

"They were from the same box. They could be wrong. Let's take the next two." Beth suggested. Amanda knew Beth was in denial, but let her take the remaining two pregnancy tests anyway. As Beth was in the bathroom, Amanda texted Rick.

"_Beth is currently taking two pregnancy tests in my bathroom." _She sent Rick. He replied almost instantly.

"_You think there's going to be a little Dixon?" _He sent back.

"_She already has two positive pee sticks on my counter. The other two are because she's in denial."_ Amanda replied.

"_Holy crap. I'm not gonna be there when Daryl finds out." _Rick sent back. Amanda suddenly remembered the sometimes unpleasant character of Beth's husband and worried that Daryl might not be excited about fatherhood.

Amanda entered the bathroom when Beth opened the door. They set the timer again, and when it buzzed, the girls looked over the tests on the counter, and then at each other. Both the tests read the same result: positive. Beth began to cry, and Amanda was unsure of what to do.

"I'm pregnant." Beth muffled. This couldn't be happy tears. Amanda was sure that this wasn't a usual reaction.

"It's a good thing. Right?" Amanda asked.

"Daryl won't be happy." Beth said.

"Look, it's only noon now. We can go to the walk-in clinic, get a blood test. I'll text everyone and tell them I may not be able to watch the kids today. We'll figure this out." Amanda was trying to be helpful. She knew that no amount of words would help Beth's situation, though.

"There's nothing to really 'figure out'. I'm pregnant. Obviously." Beth was still crying. Amanda didn't know what to do. The two left for the walk-in clinic (as Amanda called it, the "doc-in-the-box"), and Amanda text Rick, Merle, and Carol. Beth was her best friend, and she was going to be there for her.

The wait at the clinic was surprisingly short, being only thirty minutes. They called Beth back, and Amanda went back with her. Beth fidgeted on the exam table, and waited for the doctor to come in. The nurse drew blood and took Beth's vitals; everything seemed just fine. When the doctor walked in, Beth seemed a little relieved. It was Tyreese's wife, Karen, so it wasn't a stranger. She smiled at Amanda and Beth, and closed the door.

"So, you believe you might be pregnant?" She asked, a wide smile covering her face. Amanda smiled back, Beth did not.

"Yeah, I think so." Beth said. Karen looked over her chart, and did an examination. Beth looked uncomfortable the entire time, and squeezed Amanda's hand tightly.

"Beth, I know you may be a little scared right now, but you're definitely pregnant." Karen said. Beth looked as if she might throw up.

"H—how far along am I?" Beth stammered.

"Seven weeks." Karen said. Beth blushed heavily. Amanda hugged Beth, but Beth seemed uncomfortable still. Karen pulled an ultrasound monitor up to the exam table and did an ultrasound, checking the baby's vitals as well. She pointed to the screen, smiling.

"There's your baby!" Karen exclaimed. Amanda couldn't help but feel excited. Her best friend was having a baby. Amanda knew that Beth was scared, but she also knew that Daryl would support her, even if he wasn't necessarily happy. For all his peculiarities, Amanda knew Daryl loved Beth more than anything. After leaving the doctor's office, Amanda and Beth drove home, Beth clutching the snapshot of her and Daryl's first child.

"I think I'm kinda excited now." Beth said, beginning to smile.

"I'm glad you are. I'm gonna spoil that baby rotten!" Amanda exclaimed.

"You know we got pregnant while we were at the beach." Beth said sheepishly.

"Yeah, I know." Amanda said, laughing. It was pretty obvious to Amanda and Rick the first night of their stay what was going on, and Amanda and Rick had to listen to it for quite a while that night.

"By the way, you guys were loud." Amanda said. Beth's face turned bright red.

"I don't know how I'm gonna tell Daryl." Beth said worriedly.

"Well, just sit him down and say something like: 'surprise! I'm pregnant, and it's definitely yours!'" Amanda suggested. Beth stuck her tongue out.

"That is a terrible way to tell someone that you're pregnant." Beth said.

"No, a terrible way to tell them you're pregnant is something like: 'so I think I have a tapeworm. Or a baby. Either one.'" Amanda replied. Beth laughed.

"I think I might prefer the tapeworm." Beth said.

"We could name it." Amanda suggested. Beth made a face.

"Ava Margaret if it's a girl. Elijah Daryl if it's a boy." Beth said, without hesitation.

"You already had names picked out?" Amanda asked.

"I've thought I was pregnant for three weeks now. I've had time to bounce around names." Beth replied.

"You've thought you were pregnant for three weeks and you didn't say anything?" Amanda asked, shocked. Beth nodded.

"I was just scared. It's a big deal." Beth said. Amanda understood. Daryl and Beth were newlyweds, now they were expecting a baby. That was a scary thing. Amanda and Beth arrived home, and Beth walked back to her house, saying that she and Daryl would be back later. Amanda had told everyone that she couldn't watch the kids that day, so she had the afternoon to herself. She walked up to the door, and noticed that it had been broken into. She instantly panicked, calling Rick.

"Rick?" Amanda asked.

"Yeah?" He answered. He seemed busy.

"Someone broke into my house." Amanda whispered. She could hear him smack something.

"Are you sure?" He asked, even though Amanda knew he knew.

"Yeah. The door is busted open. It's only on one hinge." Amanda said.

"I'll be right there. Be careful." Rick said, hanging up. Amanda's thoughts went instantly to Scout, who was barking in the back yard. She walked in slowly, looking around. Her gun was drawn, though her hands shook. She walked down the hallway, and she heard shuffling; whoever had broken in was still there. She tried to hide herself, but realized they'd seen her shadow, they walked forward, and she realized she'd been discovered. It was a large, middle aged man with graying hair, wearing a leather vest. He looked at her, examining her from top to bottom.

"Well, lookie what we have here!" He said, an evil smile creeping up on his face.

"Get out of my house or I will kill you." Amanda said. He laughed sarcastically.

"That ain't gonna happen." He whispered, nearly growling. He lurched forward, and Amanda didn't think; she shot him in the chest. The man fell to the floor, and Amanda stood above him. She shot him a second time, and he stopped moving. A second man came out of her bathroom hearing the noise, and grabbed her from behind. The second man slammed her into the wall, and she dropped her gun.

"Oh, oh, you're in trouble now!" The man said. Amanda could see the lifeless body of the first man in the floor, a pool of blood circling him. Amanda began to scream, and the second man pistol whipped her. Amanda screamed in pain.

"Shut the hell up!" The man screamed. He began to drag her across the floor, much like Ed did. Amanda fought back, but the man overpowered her. Amanda bucked him off of her, and she stood up. The man slammed her into the wall again, this time his hands were around her throat.

"I'm gonna kill you, you stupid slut." The man growled. Amanda fought, kicking his shins and digging her nails into his arms. She could feel the air draining from her lungs. She knew if she didn't do something soon, he was going to kill her.

As she began to lose consciousness, she heard Rick call her name. Thank God. She knew she wouldn't die at that moment.

"Amanda!" He yelled again, entering the back bedroom. That's when she saw him, with his gun drawn. His face totally changed, and suddenly, he became an animal.

"GET THE HELL OFF OF HER NOW!" He screamed. Rick picked up Amanda's attacker, throwing the man to the floor. The two began to fight, the man stabbing Rick in the shoulder.

"Rick!" Amanda screamed. She was afraid the man would kill them both. Rick, however, overpowered the man quickly, and began to beat him. Unlike what happened with Ed, he didn't stop. The man tried to fight back, halfway managing to get away. However, Rick was quicker. Rick grabbed the man's bandana, strangling him until he stopped moving. Amanda watched in horror, her hands covered in blood. She couldn't move or scream; Rick's brutality frightened her. She watched as Merle and Tara entered with another deputy, and Tara ran over to her. Merle pulled Rick off the man, and tried to calm him down.

"What happened?" Tara asked.

"Those men were in my house." Amanda managed to say. "T—they t—t—tried t—t—to k—kill m—me." Amanda stammered. Rick didn't look like Rick, and Amanda was afraid.

"Grimes! Grimes snap out of it!" Merle yelled. That's when they noticed that Rick had been stabbed.

"Officer down! Requesting assistance! Another victim! Requesting medical assistance!" Merle said into his radio. Amanda began to shake, realizing one of her eyes was swollen shut. When the ambulance arrived, Sasha didn't even recognize Amanda. Rick had lost blood, but it was determined he'd live. Amanda, however, looked horrible, and they were concerned that the attackers had inflicted serious damage. She was rushed to the emergency room, where Dr. Subramanian was waiting, along with a horrified Carol. Amanda began to spit blood, and Dr. Subramanian was screaming at her. Amanda couldn't seem to understand what he was saying, but she tried to speak. She began to cough up blood profusely, and she could hear Rick's voice coming from somewhere. She could hear Merle as well, and then she heard Carol.

"Her lung has collapsed! Dr. Subramanian, her lung has collaped! We need to intubate her now!" Carol was screaming. Amanda was afraid death was about to come. She could feel the air in her lungs slipping away, and she tried to fight it. It seemed that she was losing, and she prepared herself for the worst. She knew this was it, and she tried to scream.

But, as she tried, she felt a sharp pain in her side, and then everything went black.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! Another chapter for this week. I'm actually working on a Daryl/Beth companion to this story, so stay tuned! I'm very excited for the coming chapters. Keep reading, keep reviewing, keep being awesome. I never expected such positive feedback. We're 3 days away from the wedding now, and things are getting real! Since my fiancee infected me with a nasty head cold, I've had time to write. Another chapter may be up by ****tomorrow! Much love!**

**-A**

Chapter 10: Promises

Amanda awoke in a frenzy, sitting up quickly and looking around. She was in a panic, realizing she was somewhat connected to the hospital bed. She remembered the fight with the two men in her house, she remembered Rick going crazy...But she didn't remember what happened after that. Amanda realized she had an IV port in her arm, near the back of her hand. She also had oxygen tubes in her nose. She could barely see out of her right eye, and she thought she was alone. She began to breathe heavily, coughing slightly. Her left side was incredibly sore, and she had no idea why that was. She began to panic more, then she saw Merle sitting in the chair beside her.

"Whoa, Mandy, you need to calm down, honey." Merle said, trying to get her to sit back in the bed. She obeyed, still looking around.

"Merle, where am I? What happened?" She asked.

"You're at Atlanta Medical Center. Some Claimers broke into your place looking for Rick. You shot one of 'em, Rick killed the other after the guy beat ya senseless." Merle explained, "You have a cracked cheekbone, a fractured collar bone, four broke ribs, and a collapsed lung. You're lucky you're alive. You stopped breathin'."

"How long have I been here?" Amanda asked.

"A day and a half. When you're lung collapsed, they decided it'd be best to MedEvac you here." Merle said.

"Where's Rick?" Amanda asked. She hadn't seen him, but she wanted to know he was okay. She was still terrified as she remembered what he did, but she wanted to know he was okay.

"He gets discharged from the hospital today. Actually..." Merle checked his watch, "He should be on 'is way over."

"Why'd they go after me? I haven't done anything. I came home, they were in my house. They were gonna kill me!" Amanda exclaimed.

"They came after you 'cause they've been watchin' you and Rick. They've been watchin' anyone who was at the crime scene with Michonne. She's angry now, she wants them all in jail or dead. I got so scared I moved the girls in with Tyreese and his wife. I'm tryin' to keep 'em safe." Merle explained. Amanda began to panic: what about Carl?

"Where's Carl, Merle? Is he okay? Is he hurt? Please tell me he's somewhere safe!" Amanda exclaimed.

"Relax, honey. He's with Daryl and Beth. Ain't nothin' gonna happen to him." Merle said.

"What they did to Andre... They could do that to Carl." Amanda whispered. Merle frowned.

"As long as I live... I pray to God I never see anythin' like that again." Merle admitted.

"Merle... I need to know... What'd they do to Andre?" Amanda asked. Merle shook his head, rubbing the back of his neck.

"They beat that little boy until he stopped movin'. Wouldn'tve never happened had his daddy managed to stay off those damn drugs!" Merle spat.

"I hope y'all find them." Amanda said. Merle nodded.

"We will. And when we do...They'll wish that we sent 'em to prison." Merle said.

"Why?" Amanda asked.

"'Cause I won't be able to stop Rick. He'll kill 'em, every last one of 'em." Merle replied. Amanda shook, Rick was an animal, and she was terrified of him.

"When he saw what they did to you... How you looked, he lost it. He's a great guy, but there's a side of him that's pretty brutal. You and that boy mean everythin' to him. He ain't gonna let no one get to ya. He felt like he failed ya, and it ate him up." Merle said. Amanda knew Rick cared, but it still scared her. It was one thing for her to shoot a man in self defense; it was entirely another for Rick to strangle a man with his bandana.

As they talked, a knock on the door startled them. Merle opened it, and it was Rick, with peonies—Amanda's favorite—in his hand.

"You're awake!" Rick exclaimed. Amanda didn't reply; she was afraid of him.

"She woke up 'bout an hour ago. She ain't even eaten yet." Merle told Rick.

"I brought you some sweet tea. I didn't know if you'd be awake when I got here. They didn't really let me know how you were." Rick said. His arm was in a sling, he had a large bruise over the left side of his face, and there was still a lot of swelling. His right hand was bandaged, and he walked with a limp. He looked pretty rough, and it was unsettling to Amanda.

"I—I don't really remember what happened." Amanda said. She was unsure of what to say.

Merle exited the room, leaving Rick and Amanda alone. Amanda didn't really want him to do that, but she knew Rick wanted to be alone. That thought, however, scared Amanda.

"I thought I'd lost you." Rick said, tears springing to his eyes. He sat down next to Amanda, taking her hand.

"I don't remember much. They said my lung collapsed." Amanda said.

"You stopped breathin'. Started to choke on blood. I thought that was it. I thought you were gone. I was so scared." Rick said, beginning to sob. Amanda squeezed his hand.

"I'm here now." Amanda tried to reassure him. He smiled.

"I know. I am so happy you are." Rick said, smoothing the hair on the top of her head. He was so gentle with her, so kind. This was not the man she saw the other day. They sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity, Amanda wasn't sure how long it really was. Rick finally broke the silence.

"I'm on desk duty for a while." Rick said. Amanda looked up.

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"Whenever somethin' like that happens...They put the officer on desk duty while there's an investigation." Rick explained.

"Are they gonna fire you?" Amanda asked, her voice filled with concern.

"No. They saw what that man did to me. They won't fire me." Rick said reassuringly. Amanda sighed, leaning back. Rick rubbed Amanda's arm gently, trying to be of comfort.

"How's Carl?" Amanda asked. They were both dancing around the elephant in the room.

"He's shook up. He's been beggin' Daryl and Beth to come see you. I think they did come by yesterday." Rick replied.

"How is Beth?" Amanda asked.

"She told Daryl yesterday. He came by, wringin' his hands. He's scared to death." Rick said.

"So is Beth." Amanda replied. She bit her lip, closing her eyes slightly. Rick panicked.

"Are you okay?!" He asked nervously.

"Yeah. I'm just...I don't know." Amanda admitted. She had no idea what she was feeling.

"You're afraid of me." Rick said flatly.

"No I'm not." Amanda argued.

"I see the look on your face. I saw it at your house. You're scared to death of me." Rick said, his voice laced with sadness.

"I don't know what to think, Rick. What if, one day you get mad at me..." Amanda began.

"You're scared I'll snap with you. You're scared I'll hurt you or Carl." Rick knew what she was thinking.

"Rick..." Amanda tried to explain, but the words wouldn't come out. Rick sat on the end of her bed. He began to rub her leg.

"Look at me, Amanda Magdalene." Rick commanded. She looked up. His face wasn't angry, but he wanted her to hear him.

"I love you, more than everything in this world. More than myself. You're my everything. My whole world. I would never, ever, ever hurt you." Rick promised. Amanda coughed slightly, wincing at the pain.

"You were somethin' I didn't recognize, Rick. I got so scared." Amanda admitted. She was tired, but she knew they needed to talk.

"I know. I saw you lyin' there, I thought you were dead, but you started spittin' blood on the floor. I couldn't even recognize your face. You weren't my Amanda, you looked dead. I lost it. I thought I'd lost my whole world." Rick said, sobbing. Amanda held his hand tightly. He shook.

"They did that to Mike and Andre, Amanda, I couldn't let them do that to you." He whispered.

"I love you, Rick. I do. You're my whole world. I just want this whole thing to be over." Amanda said.

"Me too. When I'm back on patrol, the Claimers aren't gonna last long. I won't let them hurt anyone else." Rick was serious. Amanda knew now that the Claimers were in for a lot of trouble.

"I don't wanna lose you, Rick." Amanda said.

"You won't." Rick replied. He kissed Amanda gently, as if he were afraid to break her.

"We're gonna be okay." Amanda said, more for herself than for Rick.

"Yes we are." Rick said, laying on his side next to her. Amanda smiled. They would be okay, and things would go back to normal. She knew it'd take time, but she loved Rick, and right now, that was all she needed.

Amanda was released from the hospital three days later, grateful that her semester was finished and she didn't miss any class. Her parents, brother and sister had come in when they found out, and they were all on edge. Her father and Daryl replaced the door, while her mother, Miranda, and Carol cleaned the house, making sure to get rid of the blood. Scout had been staying with Daryl and Beth, and Carl had made it his duty to take care of the dog. Amanda had to admit, Carl and Scout had a very special bond, and it made her smile. Amanda was on oxygen when she returned home, and Rick had gone far out of his way to make her comfortable. He'd brought a futon from his apartment over and put it in the living room so that it would be easy for Amanda to move around. He had already gotten the oxygen from the pharmacy, and had two extra tanks sitting by the bed. Everyone was there to welcome her when she arrived home, but all she really wanted to do was rest. When she arrived, her mother made her eat something. Amanda didn't have much of an appetite, but she knew Vivian wouldn't quit till she ate. Rick and Daryl put a new lock on the front door, making it harder for someone to break in. For the time being, Daryl and her brother, Steven, put bars on all of the windows, to prevent anyone from getting in through them. Amanda felt like a prisoner in her own home. The thought terrified her.

"Y'know it's only till Rick catches that guy." Steven said. Amanda nodded.

"I know. I just... I didn't think stuff like this could happen." Amanda said.

"A guy tried to kill you in our small town, Amanda. Stuff like this happens everywhere." Steven told her. She understood, but still didn't like it. Amanda wasn't used to this, and she really didn't like it. Carl designated himself as Amanda's nurse, getting her water and food, and even turning the channels on TV for her. She had watched nearly every episode of Parks and Recreation before she finally decided to walk.

"Hey, Amanda, I don't think you should do that, 'cause you're hurt." Carl said softly.

"Carl, I'm gonna be ok. You do know that, right?" Amanda asked. Carl sniffled slightly.

"Amanda, I don't want you to go to the hospital again. Miss Beth was so scared. And I was too." Carl admitted. Amanda wrapped the boy in a hug, grateful for his kindness. In truth, Amanda was glad it was just her and not Beth. If they'd beat Beth, she almost certainly would have miscarried, and though Beth was scared, Amanda knew she wanted that little baby.

"I love you, Carl. I'm not going anywhere." Amanda said. Carl smiled.

"I love you too, mom." He said. Amanda froze. He'd just called her mom. She wasn't ready for this, but she didn't want to correct him.

"What'd you say, Carl?" Amanda asked gently, trying not to panic.

"Oh, oh. I'm really sorry. It slipped out." Carl said. Amanda realized she'd hurt the boys feelings. She felt like a terrible person.

"Carl, it's okay. If you wanna call me that, go ahead. I won't stop you." Amanda replied. The boys face lit up. She was sure that this would be a fight with Rick later.

"Really? I have a mom!" The boy exclaimed. Amanda pinched the bridge of her nose as Carl ran in the other direction, sliding on his socks down the wood floor. He stopped, turning around to face Amanda.

"If you're my mom, does that make Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong my grandma and grandpa?" Carl asked. Amanda bit her lip. Oh boy, had she opened up a can of worms.

"Yeah, kinda. You can talk to 'em about it." Amanda said, trying to scoot away from the subject. Carl ran to the back porch, running outside to where Bernard, Rick and Daryl were. Vivian walked in to where Amanda was standing, leaning on the wall with her arms crossed.

"I messed up. Rick's gonna be pissed." Amanda said. Vivian laughed, shaking her head.

"No he's not." Vivian argued.

"How do you know?" Amanda asked, a snarky tone to her voice.

"Cause he asked your dad for permission to marry you." Vivian said flatly. Amanda's jaw dropped. Here Rick was, a young divorcee with a child, who had just killed a man in that house, asking for Amanda's hand in marriage, and Vivian was acting shockingly cavalier.

"We've only been together for three months, mom." Amanda said. Vivian laughed.

"I know. But he knew that he probably wouldn't get a lot of alone time with us, so he asked. He's not planning on proposing for a while, but he wanted our blessing." Vivian explained. How was her mother okay with this?

"Mom, you're okay with this? Since when did you get so chill?" Amanda asked. Her mother had a penchant for spazzing out. This was unlike her.

"Since he asked. Michael never did. Rick loves you, that is so obvious. When Daryl told us what happened, we knew you guys were supposed to be together. He loves you, sweetie." Vivian said. Amanda was unsure of what to do.

"I was afraid of him." Amanda whispered. Vivian hugged her daughter gently, kissing her cheek.

"Honey, he loves you. He'd never hurt you. Carl wants you to be his mom. If you're happy, if they make you happy, go for it. When you know, you know." Vivian said. It hit Amanda: her mother was right. She knew she wanted to be with Rick. She just didn't want to rush into anything.

Everyone finally left the next day, with the exception of Rick, Carl, Beth, and Daryl. Beth had finally begun announcing her pregnancy to everyone, though she'd recently gotten a round of morning sickness that knocked her for a loop. Amanda was slowly healing, and she was grateful. Daryl and Beth left the next evening, and Carl was asleep, with the movie "Finding Nemo" playing in the background. Rick approached Amanda, sitting down on the couch next to her.

"You're beautiful to me." Rick whispered, holding her hand. Rick had chosen to forgo the sling, though his shoulder was still very sore.

"You're pretty handsome yourself." Amanda replied. Rick smiled.

"So Carl's callin' ya mom now." Rick said. Amanda nodded.

"He is. I don't mind." Amanda said.

"You sure?" Rick asked.

"I'll be honest, he's been my son since we started dating." Amanda said. She finally admitted it. She loved Carl just as much as if she'd given birth to him. He was hers.

"You've been his mom since we started dating. He loves you more than anything." Rick said. He pulled her tight, hugging her. Amanda loved the way that Rick smelled; he reminded her of home. He was her home, even if there were parts of him that were broken. She loved him, and she accepted the parts of him that weren't perfect. She wasn't perfect either, and that worked for them. They loved each other, and that meant that they'd be willing to work through anything. Amanda knew that their wounds would heal, and that they would recover. The Claimers, whoever they were, could not take their love away. Their injuries were only temporary; Amanda and Rick were still alive. Amanda was happy, despite the fears she still had. No matter what, they would be together.

Rick was put back on patrol three weeks later, and had begun working to arrest the Claimers. He'd already arrested a dealer connected with the group named Martinez, who Merle apparently knew from his meth days. Martinez was already wanted in Alabama, Tennessee, and Florida, so Rick was able to arrest him easily. The next person to be arrested was a young woman named Alicia, who worked for Martinez. Rick had gotten death threats from the Claimers, but he didn't care. He, Merle, and Bob were on a mission. Daryl, too, was trying to find out any information he could after the Claimers had stolen nearly $10,000 worth of tools and parts from Dale, as well as ripping all of the copper out of his air conditioning unit. Beth, who was now nearly eleven weeks pregnant, was starting to show just a little. Amanda seemed to be the only one to notice, but she didn't care. Christmas was coming up, and Amanda was unsure if she'd be able to spend it with her family. She decided to ask Rick if he wanted to go to Augusta, because she knew he'd probably want to spend Christmas with his family. She sprung the question on him five days before Christmas, as they were eating dinner.

"Hey Rick, Christmas is in five days." Amanda said.

"Yep. I know." He said quietly, focused on eating a Hungarian dish Amanda had made.

"I figured I'd stay here instead of goin' to Alabama. You haven't mentioned anything about goin' to see your parents." Amanda was quietly studying Rick.

"That's cause I'm not goin' to." Rick said flatly.

"Why not?" Amanda asked.

"'Cause I'm not goin' to Augusta." Rick repeated, his tone more sharp.

"You don't wanna go see your family?" Amanda asked.

"No, Amanda, I don't. Please quit askin'." Rick said. Amanda sat back. Why was he acting like that?

Amanda put her and Carl's plates in the sink, taking him to the back yard to practice his baseball technique. He planned to play baseball in the spring, and so Amanda offered to help him with his curve ball. It was cold, but she felt that Rick had been acting pretty ridiculous. Once Carl had decided his fingers were too cold to throw, they came back inside. Rick was sitting on the couch, pouring over papers and intently studying case files from the Claimers and anyone related to them. He looked up to see Amanda throwing her catcher's mitt on the table, and Carl ran down the hall.

"Carl, you need to get a bath. Or a shower. Either way, you need to get cleaned up before bedtime." Amanda yelled.

"Yes ma'am!" He said, scooting down the hall in his socks. Amanda sat down in the chair across from the couch, and continued to knit on a baby blanket she was making for Beth.

"You think it'll be a boy, or a girl?" Amanda asked. Rick didn't reply.

"Fine." Amanda muttered under her breath. Rick was still intently studying the files.

"You know, Carl's baseball sign ups are the first week in January." Amanda said, trying to make conversation. Still no reply came from Rick. Amanda was growing agitated.

"He's gotten really good with his pitching. He could be one of the best on the team." Amanda said, trying to encourage conversation. Rick was ignoring her, and Amanda was now angry.

She got up, grabbing the case file he was studying, and threw it across the room.

"What the heck was that for?" Rick asked angrily.

"For ignoring me, and being a jerk." Amanda said. He stood up.

"What are you talking about?" Rick asked.

"You ignored me, three times, and you were a jerk at dinner. I don't know what's up with you, but it's gotta stop now." Amanda said. Rick stood up, picking up the case file.

"I don't know what you're problem is. I'm tryin' to find the group who attacked you, who beat you, and you're pissed at me 'cause I'm workin'?" Rick asked angrily. He wasn't getting it. Amanda didn't get angry often, but Rick was managing to push every button she had.

"I'm not pissed at you for that, Rick. You just ignored me three times! And, when I suggested we go see your family, you got pissed at me for it! Y'know, I don't understand why you're so pissy with me lately. But if this is how it's gonna be, you just need to leave." Amanda said flatly. Rick looked at her with surprise, as if her behavior had some from nowhere.

"You just can't not pry into stuff that doesn't concern you, can you?" Rick asked.

"What?" Amanda replied.

"I said I didn't wanna talk about it, and here you are pitchin' a royal fit about it!" Rick began to raise his voice.

"I asked because you haven't mentioned your family, like at all. I don't why you've been so short with me, but I'm tired of it." Amanda said.

"Quit askin' me questions! You don't seem to appreciate what I'm trying to do at all!" Rick shouted.

"Don't appreciate it?" Amanda asked, "I appreciate what you do, but you spend more time with those files than me or Carl!"

"Don't you dare bring my son into this." Rick growled.

"Who was out practicing with him tonight? Who helped him with his science project? You've been so wrapped up in this that you haven't focused on anything else!" Amanda shouted. Rick wanted to play this game, she could play too.

"You don't get it at all." Rick said, "I've been trying to find these guys while all you've been doing is playing house."

"You're the one over here. I don't see you complaining." Amanda snapped.

"You seem to be good at makin' up problems where there is none." Rick replied.

"You need to be there for Carl. We haven't spent any time with you, and it's almost Christmas." Amanda said, trying to be gentle.

"Don't tell me how to raise my son!" Rick yelled.

"I'm not! But you've been so obsessed with this crap that you haven't paid any attention to him!" Amanda was getting angrier; she could feel it rising from her feet.

"I've paid plenty of attention to him! You can't make that call, he's not your son!" Rick yelled. That was a low blow, and he knew it.

"Excuse me?" Amanda asked. Wasn't this the guy that had said she was Carl's mother a few weeks ago.

"You heard me. You're not his mother, you can't tell me how to raise him." Rick snapped. Amanda looked at him, walking over to the door. She opened it.

"Get out of my house." Amanda demanded. He looked at her, unsure if he'd heard her correctly.

"What about Carl?" He asked.

"He's your son, you decide what you do with him." Amanda replied. If he wanted to play this game, she'd beat him at it.

"You're not serious." Rick said.

"As a freakin' heart attack." Amanda replied.

"You don't understand what I'm doing, at all! You're only thinkin' 'bout yourself!" Rick yelled.

"Get out." Amanda whispered.

"What?" Rick asked.

"I said get out. Leave. I don't care if you leave Carl or take Carl, since I'm not his mother I can't make that call. Just leave." Amanda said. She was beginning to cry. Rick realized what he'd done, but it seemed like his pride wouldn't allow him to fix it.

"Whatever." He muttered, walking out and slamming the door behind him. Obviously, he was going to be back, as he'd left Carl in her care. Amanda called Beth, and asked her to come over. Beth came by, looking a little disheveled, and more than a little tired.

"Hey." Amanda greeted, letting her in.

"Rick's over at our house." Beth said, walking in, "What happened?"

"He's a jerk, that's what happened. For the past three weeks, he's been obsessed with those stupid case files. Yeah, I want him to find the Claimers, but I do not want him ignoring Carl, or me. Tonight, I asked him if he wanted to go see his family for Christmas and he snapped at me. Beth, I don't know why he's turned into such a jerk, but I don't like it." Amanda began to cry. Beth hugged her.

"His family situation is...Complicated. I'm not gonna say anything, he'll tell you when he's ready. As for the work stuff...I think he feels like he failed 'cause you got hurt so bad. He doesn't want that to happen again." Beth was always trying to find the best case scenario.

"I just want him to talk to me." Amanda sniffled.

"I think it's been really hard on him. He doesn't know how to deal with this." Beth said.

"Neither do I." Amanda replied. Beth took a sip of water, setting it down.

"Look, I'm not taking sides, but I don't think either of you handled this well. You gotta talk if you're gonna move forward." Beth said. Amanda knew she was right; she had the wisdom of an 80-year-old.

"He won't talk." Amanda said.

"Doesn't mean you don't have to clam up." Beth replied. Amanda hadn't exactly been chatty about what she'd felt. She just thought there was nothing to talk about.

"I didn't think there was much to say." Amanda said softly.

"You could start with telling him that you're still jumpy, or that you're afraid to shower with the door closed. Or that you haven't really eaten in a few weeks." Beth suggested. Beth knew all of these things; Rick didn't.

"It's hard, Beth." Amanda said.

"You're still afraid of him." Beth said. She was so blasé about this.

"Yeah." Amanda admitted. She was still terrified, and it drove a wedge between them.

"He wouldn't hurt you. Why is that hard to understand?" Beth asked.

"Because I watched him strangle the life out of someone, Beth. What if he did that to me?!" Amanda asked. Beth's jaw dropped. Amanda had finally admitted her worst fear.

Beth stood up, going to the door.

"Where are you going?" Amanda asked.

"I'm telling Rick to get his butt back here. He needs to talk to you. Now." Beth said, closing the door. Amanda sat in silence; Carl was already asleep, and she was slightly afraid of being alone. Rick knocked on the door and she opened, both looked sheepish as Rick walked in.

"Beth told me to come talk to you." Rick said.

"She told me the same thing." Amanda replied.

"I'm sorry I said that stuff..." Rick began.

"I know." Amanda said, "I'm sorry too."

"What's goin' on with us?" Rick asked.

"We haven't really talked about what happened." Amanda said, "To be honest, Rick, I'm still afraid. I can't take a shower without someone home, I haven't really eaten or slept. I'm afraid all the time, and part of me, yeah, part of me is still scared of what you did. That image... It's burned into my brain."

Rick sat quietly, rubbing his face. He sighed heavily. "I was so angry, Amanda. Walkin' in, I told you before, I couldn't recognize you. You were innocent, and they tried to kill you. I wanted 'em to pay. And they did. But you... No matter how angry I get, I couldn't bring myself to hurt you like that." Rick said.

"It's just scary. This whole thing... I'm still scared they'll find me." Amanda admitted.

"That's why I'm tyrin' to find 'em first." Rick replied.

"I know. It's just frustrating. I know why you're doing it, I just... I don't know. I guess I just want it to be over." Amanda said. Rick nodded.

"Me too, babe. Me too." He said.

"I wanted Christmas to be special... And I guess I shouldn't have pried, but I just wanted to know why you were so against it. You haven't mentioned your family at all, and with everythin' going on, I thought you might wanna go see 'em." Amanda said.

"There's a reason I don't talk about 'em, I guess you should probably know...My dad was a druggie, and a drunk. He wasn't a good man, at least not when I was a kid. Growin' up was rough. He beat me, he beat my mom. But she was on drugs too, so it didn't really matter most of the time. Dad died of a drug overdose when I was 10. I was Carl's age. Mom didn't have a job, so we bounced around from house to house, any money we did have went to drugs. Some days, I wouldn't eat. I never had new clothes or shoes. I was pretty much raisin' myself until I was 13, then Hershel and Annette too me in. They bought me new clothes, fed me. They're my real parents. I was raised with Shawn, Maggie, and Beth. Dale gave me a job, too. Him and his wife, they took me in, too. They'd adopted Daryl and Merle, tried getting' Merle off drugs. My mom, she never did anything. Never cared. She ran off to Augusta with her boyfriend one day, and I heard from her sometimes. Last letter I got was about a year ago. She was askin' for money. She met Carl once, but she couldn't care less, really. Hershel and Annette are my mom and dad, as far as I'm concerned. I love 'em." Rick explained. He'd finally admitted it. He'd finally told her. Amanda sat down next to him, putting her arm around him. She kissed his cheek, and he smiled.

"Then, let's spend Christmas with your family." Amanda said. Rick smiled.

"I'm sorry I said that about you earlier...Not bein' Carl's mom. I shouldn't have." Rick said.

"I want you to know something, Rick. I love him. I love him like I'd given birth to him myself. He's my boy. Yeah, it hurt when you said that. I know I'm not your wife, but I love him." Amanda explained.

"We gotta talk if we're gonn make it." Rick said.

"I agree." Amanda replied. Rick picked up the case files and all the reports, putting them on the table. He sat down next to Amanda, and held her as tightly as he could without injuring her. She was still healing, and he didn't want to cause her pain.

"Those can wait till tomorrow." Rick said. Amanda kissed Rick, holding his face in her hands.

"I love you." Amanda whispered. "I love you, too." Rick replied.

"So does this mean we're good?" Rick asked. Amanda nodded.

"Yeah, it does." Amanda replied.

The two stayed up late, talking for the first time in weeks. They'd finally begun to move past the issues that had plagued them. Things weren't fixed overnight, but they knew talking would help them move forward. Amanda loved Rick, and she was willing to fight for their relationship to work. Despite the fight, despite how distant Rick had been, Amanda loved him. Rick was finally beginning to open up, and finally beginning to see how important it was to speak. The two knew they had a long road, but they were prepared for it. They wanted to be together, so they wanted to work it out. That night, for the first time in weeks, the two were able to just be together. Without fear, without anxiety, it was just them. Finally, Amanda could begin to enjoy the Christmas holidays, and what she hoped would be the first of many Christmases with Rick and Carl.


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello all! Sorry it's been so long... **

**Got married two weeks ago this Saturday, then we went on our honeymoon. Currently, we're living out of my parents RV in their driveway until we move to New Orleans. In August. Yep. Two whole months. I'm working now too, so it's even busier. Hope you like it!**

**-A**

Chapter 11:

Christmas had successfully come and gone without incident. Rick and Amanda chose to spend the day with Hershel, Annette, Daryl, Beth, Maggie, and Glenn. Shawn and his wife, Anna joined them with their daughter Katie and their baby Thomas, and Merle, Lizzie, Mika, Carol and Sophia came by later in the day. Christmas Eve was spent with Dale, and of course Daryl, Beth, and Merle were there. Christmas morning was spent at Amanda's; Amanda was excited to be able to give Carl things that she knew he'd love. Amanda was also able to give Daryl and Beth baby items that she'd knitted and crocheted, and she loved knowing that their child would have keepsake things. In truth, Amanda missed her family dearly, but she knew that it was important to spend Christmas with the surrogate family she had in Georgia. Two days after Christmas, her family surprised her by coming to see her, and they stayed till the new year. Amanda loved that her family surprised her, and she hated to see them go.

January, classes began again. Amanda was teaching the second part of Survey of American History, and was lucky enough to teach a class on American Civil War and Reconstruction. Funny enough, Beth had registered for her class, and was taking it. The baby wasn't due until July, and Beth needed to get the last of her general education courses finished. For the sake of the class, Amanda pretended not to know who Beth was, or that she was her best friend. Amanda's graduate focus was on the Civil War, and she was in her element. It was the second week of the semester, and Rick, Glenn, and Maggie had decided to sneak into one of Amanda's lectures. Rick was still focused on finding the Claimers, and had secretly been escorting Amanda to class. He was afraid that something would happen; he just couldn't take that chance. This particular lecture, Amanda was excited. She couldn't wait to teach that day, she was more excited than she probably should have been.

"I don't have a problem with Southern guilt." Amanda began, "I do, however, have a problem with Northern innocence."

The class seemed intent on listening; even the kids that were normally texting in class were paying attention. She noticed Rick, Glenn, Maggie, and Beth were intently listening, too.

"The South romanticized the war, but the North refused to bend. The Missouri Compromise was the nail in the coffin, really. You guys want to know what the Civil War was about? It was four years of misery. Four years of people starving to death. Four years of death and destruction, and you know what? Neither side was willing to give in. Both sides refused to give in, and they got what they wanted. They got a war."

Everyone was hooked at this point. Amanda had no idea where it came from, but she was talking about something she loved, and everyone knew she was just as interested as they were. Everyone was enthralled at this point, especially when she came to a story concerning the fall of Nashville, and everyone, it seemed, couldn't get enough.

"Nashville fell to Union troops. And at this point, Nashville, like ten blocks of it, was pretty much just one giant brothel. The troops were getting venereal diseases left and right—the Union forces there, they were getting taken out by syphilis so fast that it was causin' 'em problems. Pretty much, 1 in 3 soldiers were taken out by STD's. " She paused to collect her thoughts, the class was laughing.

"Anyway, Union commanders had enough. They decided they'd arrest all of the prostitutes and put them on a boat headed for St. Louis. Well, they got there, and the port people were like 'whatcha got on the boat?' and the boat captains were like 'whores', so they weren't allowed at the port. They had to go up to Ohio, and the port people there asked, 'whatcha got on the boat?' and the captains said, 'whores'. They were turned away again. At this point, you know, these hookers were pretty much destroyin' the boat, they weren't the classiest of ladies. So THEN, they finally get to Kentucky, and the same thing happens; 'whatcha got on the boat?' "whores!' 'sorry, can't stay here.'. The boat captain gets so fed up that he lets them go, and this army of hookers goes marching back to Nashville. And fun fact: prostitution was made legal, and it was taxed. Nashville allowed prostitution. Boats and hoes, guys, you're welcome. We're outta time, I'll see y'all on Monday. Don't forget, we've got a quiz on _This Republic of Suffering. _Read chapter 2. See ya!" Amanda dismissed the class. Rick and Beth walked up first, wide grins on their faces.

"Amanda, seriously, this was hilarious." Beth said giggling.

"If I'd had a history teacher like you in school, I might've actually liked it." Rick said. Maggie came up, smiling.

"Y'know, the kids on campus actually were telling people to take your class. Apparently you're the grammar Nazi, but they like you." Maggie said.

"Thanks, Mags. They all wanna take your Latin American Colonial History course too. You should hear how the kids remember some of those names." Amanda replied. Maggie laughed.

"I think one kid kept calling Quetzalcoatl something like 'Quetzal-Pretzel'. Whatever works!" Amanda added. Maggie laughed. Maggie excused herself quietly to answer her phone, and Amanda, Beth, and Rick heard Maggie squeal happily. She ran back over excitedly.

"Guess what? Sasha is having a little boy!" Maggie said excitedly. Amanda and Beth lit up; they were so excited.

"Do they have an idea on what they wanna name him?" Beth asked. Amanda and Beth had been excitedly waiting the day that Beth could find out what the gender of her own baby was, so that Amanda could monogram everything.

"Actually, yeah, they do. They said his name is gonna be Mason Robert Stookey. His middle name will be Bob's name." Maggie said, still beaming from ear to ear. Amanda had gathered her books and they were on their way out of the classroom; Amanda and Beth were riding with Rick.

"I can't wait! If I know Bob and Sasha, that baby will be beautiful." Amanda said. She was so excited to meet little Mason.

"I know, right? Well, I gotta head to class, then I gotta meet with Dr. Franklin. I'll see you later." Maggie said. Beth and Amanda waved goodbye, and the two girls joined Rick in the parking lot. All three climbed into the police cruiser, and were somewhat silent on the way home.

"I kind of hope this baby is a little girl." Beth whispered from the back.

"Why?" Amanda asked.

"'Cause Daryl is so manly. I don't know what I'd do if it was a boy." Beth replied. Rick laughed.

"The doctors told us Carl was a girl." Rick said.

"Really?" Beth asked, "When'd y'all figure out he wasn't?"

"Lori was about seven months pregnant, right before the baby shower. Lori was so mad he was a boy. But I was so happy, because it was a healthy little baby, as far as we knew. I was just a kid, though. I was scared, but I just wanted a healthy baby." Rick explained.

"How'd y'all come up with his name?" Amanda asked. Rick laughed, as did Beth.

"Hershel Carl Greene. Of course, Carl isn't Carl's first name either." Rick laughed.

"Yeah, it's Timothy Carl Grimes." Amanda said.

"Yeah, we had the hardest time comin' up with a name for him. But before Carl was born, I realized I wanted to name my first born son after the guy that was a father to me, and Lori wanted to name him after her brother that died in a car wreck. So we came up with Timothy Carl." Rick told the girls.

"I'm named after my mama." Beth added. "Elizabeth Louise Greene. Louise is mama's middle name."

"Yeah, my grandmother named me." Amanda said, "Amanda Leigh. That was after they all thought I was a boy and my name was supposed to be Thomas James."

"Wow. Almost like Carl." Rick replied.

"Except this was at the hospital and suddenly there was a girl." Amanda said. The three burst out in laughter as Amanda told them of the pictures of her in boy's clothes until she was a year old. Rick pulled up in Beth's driveway, dropping her off before heading back to Amanda's house. Amanda kissed him lightly on the cheek before getting out of the car.

"What time do you get off?" Amanda asked.

"Six. Will you have all the kids?" Rick asked.

"Just Carl today. Merle's off, so is Carol. They're taking the girls to Atlanta to go buy clothes." Amanda said. Rick nodded.

"Well, I reckon it'll just be us then." Rick said.

"Yep." Amanda replied happily, "I can't wait to see you this evening."

Rick smiled widely. "Me either." He replied.

Rick pulled out of the driveway and Amanda walked in, checking the house and locking the door behind her. She sat down on the couch, propping her feet up and turning on the TV. She hadn't been home for more than ten minutes when her phone rang.

"Hello?" Amanda answered.

"Hey. Are you at home?" Amanda hadn't even checked her phone; but she knew by the voice that it was Michonne.

"Yeah, yeah. I just got in. Whatcha need?" Amanda asked. It'd been a month since Amanda had spoken to Michonne last. Since Mike and Andre's death, Michonne had purposefully thrown herself into her work.

"Would you mind...If I stopped by for a little while? I just need to breathe. I know it's weird but..." Michonne began.

"Michonne, come on over. You know my door is always open." Amanda replied.

"Thanks, seriously. I'll be there in fifteen." Michonne said.

"Okay. I'll be waiting for ya." Amanda told her. Amanda said her goodbyes and hung up the phone, sighing heavily. She walked back to the guest bedroom, and opened up the toy box she'd bought at a thrift store for the kids. It had dolls she'd bought for Lizzie, Mika, and Sophia, toy cars that Carl played with, as well as toy guns and cowboy hats. But then, there was something she hadn't touched since before Thanksgiving: a toy bear that Sophia had given to Andre. Andre carried a stuffed animal around with him everywhere, and Michonne had forgotten his usual "baby dog" the first day she'd dropped him off. The boy screamed for nearly twenty minutes before Sophia had given him a bear that she'd brought. Amanda remembered the moment fondly.

"_Here, Andre." Sophia said warmly, "This is Mack. He can be yours now."_

Amanda's eyes filled with tears, remembering how over the month that she'd kept Andre, he constantly walked around with Mack, clutching the stuffed bear tightly to his chest. She'd pushed Andre to the outer corners of her mind as best she could; but today there was no use. She'd have to deal with it.

Michonne was true to her word, showing up fifteen minutes after she called. Amanda unlocked the door and let her in, and Michonne sat nervously on one end of the couch.

"You want some coffee or tea? Maybe a cookie?" Amanda asked. She looked at Michonne and frowned. Michonne had visibly lost weight. Amanda wasn't sure when Michonne had eaten last.

"Maybe some coffee, if you don't mind." Michonne replied. She still looked tired, almost empty. Amanda poured her a cup and handed it to her. The pair sat in an awkward silence for what felt like an eternity.

"Does it ever get better?" Michonne finally asked, "I could deal with losing Mike. I missed him even when I was with him. But Andre... I feel dead. I feel like a piece of me died right along with him."

Michone began to sob. Amanda pulled her close, hugging her tightly.

"You're the first person who hasn't tried to pet me or baby me." Michonne added.

"To be honest, Michonne, it's cause I don't know what to say. I don't know what you're going through. I've never lost a child, and I don't know what you're feeling. I don't know if it gets better, 'cause I've never gone through it. All I can say is that I'm here. That's all I can give you." Amanda said.

"That's all I wanted. I don't need people telling me they know how they feel. I just need someone to listen." Michonne replied.

"You know I'll always be here." Amanda said.

Michonne smiled. "I miss my best friend." She said, "Andre was named after my best friend, Andrea. When she died...I thought the pain couldn't get any worse, but it did. But maybe, just maybe, Andrea is taking care of Andre. I hope they found each other."

"They did. I know they did. You gotta keep going. Andre knew you loved him. He knew that you loved him more than anything." Amanda said. Amanda could hear the school bus roll to a stop; she knew Carl would be walking through the door. Michonne stood up, getting ready to leave.

"You don't have to leave, Michonne." Amanda said, "I think Carl may need some help with his math homework anyway."

Michonne looked relieved, as if wanting a reason to stay. "I think I'd like to help." Michonne said quietly.

Carl walked through the door, eyeing Michonne and looking visibly unsure of how to react.

"Hi, Miss Brown. It's good to see you today." Carl greeted nervously.

"It's good to see you too, Carl." Michonne said.

"Carl, do you have homework today?" Amanda asked.

"Not today. Well, except for that test I gotta study for." Carl said. Ah, the dreaded reading test. Carl had pulled his grades up significantly, but he was still struggling.

"Well, Michonne may be able to help you out today too. I gotta grade some reading responses. You wanna take over for me a while, Michonne?" Amanda asked. Michone nodded, and sat down at the table with Carl.

"I'll be there in a little bit, y'all. I gotta grade these, or those kids will pester me until they get 'em back." Amanda said.

"Isn't Aunt Beth in your class?" Carl asked.

"Yep. She's a kid too though!" Amanda said playfully. Carl laughed, and Michonne began to work with him. Amanda admired Michonne; not only did she have a law degree, but in her undergrad she had a BA in English/Political Science with a minor in Sociology. She spoke nearly perfect French, flawless Spanish, and a hint of Portuguese. She was brilliant, really, and Amanda often felt dumb just standing next to her. Lately, though, Amanda had hated to see the brilliant, vivacious woman that Michonne was shrivel up. Amanda wanted her to be happy, though she knew that'd be difficult.

An hour later, Amanda was still grading reading responses. She'd assigned _What This Cruel War Was Over_ by Drew Gilpin Faust, and had made them read chapter one. She knew she assigned a lot of reading, but in the words of one of her old college professors: "we read because we're in college, if we don't like it, we don't have to be in college." Amanda put the stack of papers down, and walked over to the table. Carl had managed to do something a room full of adults couldn't seem to do: he'd gotten Michonne to laugh.

"Yeah, so my friend at school drinks soy milk. And he let me try some. It was awful!" Carl exclaimed. Michonne laughed.

"You don't know what you're missing. Chocolate soymilk is the best." Michonne replied.

"Mom—er, Amanda, tells me I have to drink milk so my bones will grow. Dad does too, but Amanda makes me chocolate milk." Carl explained.

"Well, my mom made me drink my milk, and I'm grown up." Michonne said.

"Yeah, Amanda says you're the smartest lady she knows. I guess that's cause you drank your milk, right?" Carl asked.

"Yep. Exactly why." Michonne laughed.

"I see Carl is keeping you entertained." Amanda said, giggling.

"Yep. I think young man is going to ace that test." Michonne said.

"I didn't miss any the last time. I like Michonne!" Carl said. Amanda laughed.

"I like you too, Carl." Michonne replied. She pulled out her phone, checking the time.

"Listen, I have to run. I promised Hershel and Annette I'd have dinner with them." She said.

"Alrighty. Don't be a stranger, you hear?" Amanda said as she walked her to the door. The two hugged, and Michonne smiled widely.

"Thanks. For everything. Carl is great." Michonne said.

"You know you're always welcome here." Amanda said. Michonne nodded.

"I know. I haven't felt this good in a long time. Carl thinks of you as his mom. And I'll be honest, I knew his mom, and you love him more than she ever did. Hold him tight for me." Michonne said.

"I will. Promise." Amanda said. She waved goodbye to Michonne and closed the door. She ruffled Carl's hair and began to make dinner, with Carl standing beside her the whole time. Tonight's menu was requested by Carl, one of his new favorite dishes since he'd met Amanda: poppyseed chicken casserole. Amanda had given Carl the task of stirring the green beans, and dinner was nearly ready. Like clockwork, Rick came in the door, smiling widely as Amanda greeted him.

"Hey sweetie." Amanda said. Rick kissed her, revealing a bouquet of yellow roses that he'd had hidden behind his back. Yellow roses were Amanda's favorite, and Rick surprised her often.

"They're beautiful!" Amanda exclaimed. Rick smiled.

"Thought ya might like 'em." Rick said, pulling Amanda in for a hug, "You look beautiful."

"Thanks, you're not so bad yourself." Amanda said. She put the flowers in a vase and put them on the kitchen table, and pulled the casserole from the oven.

"Hope you're not takin' a drug test. We've got Carl's favorite tonight." Amanda said. Rick laughed.

"Poppyseed chicken?" He asked. Amanda nodded. The three sat down to dinner, and Carl ate more than usual.

"So... Michonne came by today." Amanda mused. Rick looked up from his plate.

"Really?" He asked.

"She just needed some breathin' room I guess. She helped Carl study for his test." Amanda said.

"How's she doing?" Rick asked.

"Lost a lot of weight. Looks exhausted." Amanda replied.

"She's been tryin' to prosecute or indict anyone remotely connected to the Claimers." Rick explained, "She's more determined than any of us."

"Can you blame her though?" Amanda asked. Rick shook his head. Neither one of them wanted to discuss it too much in front of Carl. As they continued eating, Carl spoke first, with another random question, which he asked much like checking the weather.

"Can I call you mom in public, or will people make fun of me?" He asked. Amanda and Rick looked up.

"Why you ask that, buddy?" Amanda asked.

"Well, you're my mom. I just want people to know." Carl said flatly.

"It's fine with me, as long as you're dad's cool with it." Amanda explained. Carl looked at his dad with pleading eyes.

"It's fine with me, Carl, we already had this chat." Rick said. Carl nodded, and went back to eating.

Rick mouthed a silent _"What was that about?" _to Amanda, and she replied with a silent _"I don't know". _After dinner, the three took Scout for a walk, and then it was bath time for Carl. The three were watching The Incredibles before Carl's bedtime, with Carl laying in the floor, on top of Scout as usual. They were halfway through the movie when Rick's phone rang.

"Deputy Grimes." He answered. Instantly, his face fell, become white. He stood up, putting his belt with his gun holster on.

"I'll be right there." Rick said, hanging up. Rick motioned for Amanda to follow him outside, and she did, closing the door behind her so Carl couldn'

"It's fine with me, Carl, we already had this chat." Rick said. Carl nodded, and went back to eating.

Rick mouthed a silent _"What was that about?" _to Amanda, and she replied with a silent _"I don't know". _After dinner, the three took Scout for a walk, and then it was bath time for Carl. The three were watching The Incredibles before Carl's bedtime, with Carl laying in the floor, on top of Scout as usual. They were halfway through the movie when Rick's phone rang.

"Deputy Grimes." He answered. Instantly, his face fell, become white. He stood up, putting his belt with his gun holster on.

"I'll be right there." Rick said, hanging up. Rick motioned for Amanda to follow him outside, and she did, closing the door behind her so Carl couldn't hear whatever was going on.

"We got officers down." Rick said, with a look of terror on his face. Amanda grabbed his hand slightly.

"Oh no." She replied. She didn't know who it was, but she knew that Rick took it hard. The sheriff's department was like a family; they all shared their joys and struggles together.

"Go to Beth's with Carl. You three wait there till I call you." Rick instructed.

"Beth's probably doing homework. She's pretty busy this week." Amanda said.

"She won't be tonight." Rick replied. Amanda knew something was wrong, she just didn't know what.

"Is something wrong with Daryl?" Amanda asked. He wasn't a cop, but he did do a lot for the sheriff's department. Daryl was part of the volunteer fire department as well, and dealt with the sheriff's department all of the time. Rick was trying to get him to join, but Daryl was hesitant about leaving Dale's shop.

"No. It's Merle." Rick said. Amanda's heart fell. Those little girls of his, and Carol too. They needed him.

"W—what's wrong?" Amanda asked.

Rick's face fell, and then he grew angry.

"The Claimers. All I know is that two deputies are down." Rick said.

"Who's the other deputy?" Amanda asked nervously. She prayed it wasn't Abraham, Tara, Rosita, or Bob.

Rick's face fell. Amanda was terrified, she knew what was coming next.

"It's Bob. He and Merle were respondin' to a call... I know they were injured, I knew Merle took a Claimer out. That's all I know." Rick said. Amanda nodded and kissed him, hugging him tightly.

"Go. You call me when you can. Be safe, Rick. Please." Amanda said.

"I will. I love you." Rick said.

"I love you too." Amand replied. Rick ran to his patrol car, turning on the siren and speeding away. Amanda took Carl and headed over to Beth's, and not surprisingly, Daryl was gone. Beth answered the door, her eyes red and puffy.

"Rick just told me. How is he? Do you know?" Amanda asked. Beth began to sob, and Amanda ushered Carl into Daryl and Beth's room where Lizzie, Sophia, and Mika were.

"They cut off his hand." Beth whispered.

"What?" Amanda asked.

"They cut off his hand. I don't know what all happened, but I know they shot Bob and I know they cut off Merle's hand. Daryl is at the ER right now, Merle's in surgery. He thought it'd be best if I waited here. Merle lost a lot of blood. What are we gonna do?" Beth cried. Amanda hugged her tightly.

"He'll be okay. It's Merle. No one can kill Merle but Merle, remember? He wouldn't leave those girls. He's gonna fight." Amanda said. She was trying to comfort Beth, but she knew that looking a limb was dangerous.

"I'm scared." Beth admitted.

"Me too." Amanda said.

Beth and Amanda sat in Daryl and Beth's room, watching movies with the kids and trying to keep them occupied. The girls didn't know of their father's injury, and Amanda wasn't sure how they'd react. Daryl had called two hours later and said that Bob's gunshot wound was non life-threatening, that it'd only grazed his arm. Merle, on the other hand, was still in surgery, and had narrowly missed going into shock. Amanda wasn't sure where Rick was, and was still waiting on his call. Amanda and Beth knew that Daryl wasn't leaving his brother, and so they waited for any news at all on Merle.

It was nearly midnight when there was a knock on Beth's front door. It was Abraham and Rosita.

"Amanda?" Abraham asked. Amanda's heart sank. Something was seriously, seriously wrong.

"Yeah?" Amanda asked.

"You need to come down to the hospital with us." Abraham replied.

"Is he okay?" Amanda asked. They knew who she was talking about, it's the reason they were there.

"He's been shot. We don't know his condition right now." Rosita said. Amanda fell to the floor, sobbing violently as Beth hugged her. Amanda stood up, wiping her eyes but still sobbing.

"Rosita, will you stay here with Beth?" Amanda asked. Rosita nodded.

"Take me to him, Abe. I need to be there." Amanda said.

"Amanda, he may not be around when we get there." Abraham admitted.

"But if he is, he doesn't need to be alone. I have to be there." Amanda repeated. Abraham nodded, and the two left in his patrol car. Amanda was unsure if Rick would be alive or dead when they got there, but she prayed he'd be okay. Only time would tell if he'd pull through, and Amanda didn't know what would happen.

As Amanda gazed out of the patrol car window, she continued to sob. She wasn't sure if he'd be alive when she got there, but she knew that this attackt hear whatever was going on.

"W—what's wrong?" Amanda asked.

Rick's face fell, and then he grew angry.

"The Claimers. All I know is that two deputies are down." Rick said.

"Who's the other deputy?" Amanda asked nervously. She prayed it wasn't Abraham, Tara, Rosita, or Bob.

Rick's face fell. Amanda was terrified, she knew what was coming next.

"It's Bob. He and Merle were respondin' to a call... I know they were injured, I knew Merle took a Claimer out. That's all I know." Rick said. Amanda nodded and kissed him, hugging him tightly.

"Go. You call me when you can. Be safe, Rick. Please." Amanda said.

"I will. I love you." Rick said.

"I love you too." Amand replied. Rick ran to his patrol car, turning on the siren and speeding away. Amanda took Carl and headed over to Beth's, and not surprisingly, Daryl was gone. Beth answered the door, her eyes red and puffy.

"Rick just told me. How is he? Do you know?" Amanda asked. Beth began to sob, and Amanda ushered Carl into Daryl and Beth's room where Lizzie, Sophia, and Mika were.

"They cut off his hand." Beth whispered.

"What?" Amanda asked.

"They cut off his hand. I don't know what all happened, but I know they shot Bob and I know they cut off Merle's hand. Daryl is at the ER right now, Merle's in surgery. He thought it'd be best if I waited here. Merle lost a lot of blood. What are we gonna do?" Beth cried. Amanda hugged her tightly.

"He'll be okay. It's Merle. No one can kill Merle but Merle, remember? He wouldn't leave those girls. He's gonna fight." Amanda said. She was trying to comfort Beth, but she knew that looking a limb was dangerous.

"I'm scared." Beth admitted.

"Me too." Amanda said.

Beth and Amanda sat in Daryl and Beth's room, watching movies with the kids and trying to keep them occupied. The girls didn't know of their father's injury, and Amanda wasn't sure how they'd react. Daryl had called two hours later and said that Bob's gunshot wound was non life-threatening, that it'd only grazed his arm. Merle, on the other hand, was still in surgery, and had narrowly missed going into shock. Amanda wasn't sure where Rick was, and was still waiting on his call. Amanda and Beth knew that Daryl wasn't leaving his brother, and so they waited for any news at all on Merle.

It was nearly midnight when there was a knock on Beth's front door. It was Abraham and Rosita.

"Amanda?" Abraham asked. Amanda's heart sank. Something was seriously, seriously wrong.

"Yeah?" Amanda asked.

"You need to come down to the hospital with us." Abraham replied.

"Is he okay?" Amanda asked. They knew who she was talking about, it's the reason they were there.

"He's been shot. We don't know his condition right now." Rosita said. Amanda fell to the floor, sobbing violently as Beth hugged her. Amanda stood up, wiping her eyes but still sobbing.

"Rosita, will you stay here with Beth?" Amanda asked. Rosita nodded.

"Take me to him, Abe. I need to be there." Amanda said.

"Amanda, he may not be around when we get there." Abraham admitted.

"But if he is, he doesn't need to be alone. I have to be there." Amanda repeated. Abraham nodded, and the two left in his patrol car. Amanda was unsure if Rick would be alive or dead when they got there, but she prayed he'd be okay. Only time would tell if he'd pull through, and Amanda didn't know what would happen.

As Amanda gazed out of the patrol car window, she continued to sob. She wasn't sure if he'd be alive when she got there, but she knew that this attack on Rick, Bob, and Merle only meant one thing.

Rick wouldn't wait to arrest them, he'd just kill them all.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Awake

Amanda, Abraham, Tara, and Daryl sat at Atlanta Medical Center, awaiting news of Rick and Merle. Bob had apparently been taken to Alpharetta Regional and had been released, having only a bullet graze. Merle had now been in surgery for four hours, and no one had told the group anything. Daryl sat next to Amanda, chewing on his thumb nervously. Tara sat quietly, as did Abraham. Amanda had leaned her head on Daryl's shoulder, trying to calm down, and trying to keep from falling apart. As they waited, Bob and Sasha entered the waiting room, Bob's arm in a sling.

"How's Merle?" Bob asked.

"No news." Daryl replied, bouncing a knee nervously.

"How's Rick?" Bob asked.

"No news." Amanda replied, sniffling slightly.

"What happened? I know he was responding to my call, I don't know what else. He showed up and there were gunshots inside the bar. Rick killed two of 'em, shot 'em both. I was layin' in the floor propped up on the wall, Merle was in the back room. He nearly bled to death before Rick and Tara found him. I couldn't get to him, I only saw him when they carried him out." Bob said. He was clearly shaken, and Sasha squeezed his knee.

"If I'd known someone else was there, Amanda, I wouldn't have called." Bob said, tears filling his eyes. Amanda stood up, hugging him.

"Bob, you didn't know. You didn't know." She said, crying. Amanda didn't notice that Carol had walked in.

"Where is he? Is he okay? Have you heard?" She asked. Carol's eyes were puffy, she'd obviously been crying—hard.

"Haven't heard yet. Still in surgery." Daryl replied. Carol looked at Bob and began to cry again.

"Oh, oh no. He needs to be okay. He has to be." Carol cried.

"Do the girls know what happened?" Sasha asked.

"Sophia, Lizzie, and Mika were with Beth because I was supposed to work all night." Carol said, "The hospital told me and I left as soon as I heard. I don't know if the girls know."

"I'd wait to tell them." Bob explained, "Somethin' like this is gonna be really rough."

As they talked, a doctor walked in, holding a chart.

"Dixon? Merle Dixon's family?" The doctor asked.

"I'm his brother." Daryl explained, "This is his girlfriend Carol."

"Merle lost a lot of blood, damaged some veins, it nicked an artery in his wrist. We had to reconstruct the wrist, but we were able to save the arm. We had to keep him on a steady blood supply; that's why it took so long. We had to wait till his blood pressure was high enough for us to do surgery." The doctor explained.

"Is he gonna be okay, doc?" Daryl asked.

"It's touch-and-go right now, but if he makes it to next evening, he should be okay." The doctor replied.

"What do you mean if he makes it to next evening?" Carol asked.

"He lost a lot of blood, he still lost a limb. We had to cauterize it. He almost bled to death, luckily he didn't." The doctor explained.

"When can we see him?" Daryl asked.

"When he wakes up. He's in ICU right now, the hours are posted." The doctor replied coldly, turning on his heels and walking away.

"When will we know about Rick?" Amanda asked.

"No clue." Abraham responded. He'd been relatively quiet all evening, understandably so.

"What happened, Abe?" Amanda asked, "How'd he get shot?"

"He'd shot two Claimers; one that was about to kill Bob, and one that had just finished beating Merle. They'd cut his hand off first, that's when Bob had found them. Anyway, Rick had shot both of them, but there was another guy in the back. We'd arrested him before, his name is Len. He came in and shot Rick, right below the shoulder. He almost bled to death when Bob called for help, and tried to stop the bleeding. He tried to save Merle and Rick; and somehow I guess he managed to do it." Abraham explained.

"I just wanna know. I just want him to be okay." Amanda whispered. Daryl gave her a slight hug.

"I know. We want 'em both to be okay." Tara said. The group continued to wait, and Amanda decided to call Beth.

"Hello?" Beth answered on the other end.

"It's me. How's Carl?" Amanda asked.

"He's still awake. He's been pacing." Beth replied.

"Can I talk to him?" Amanda asked.

"Sure." Beth said, handing the phone to Carl.

"Hello?" Carl asked.

"Hey bud, it's me. How are you?" Amanda asked the boy.

"How's dad? Is he okay?" Carl asked.

"I don't know yet, bud. He's still in surgery." Amanda replied.

"Can I come up there? Can I see Dad?" Carl asked her. Amanda bit her lip.

"I don't know, Carl. You ask Beth, okay? But if Beth says it's okay, then we can do it." Amanda said. She wanted to see them, but she was nervous about letting Carl come up there.

"Okay. I'll ask Aunt Beth, and she'll call you." Carl told her.

"Okay Carl. I love you." Amanda said.

"I love you too, Mom." Carl replied.

Amanda waited nervously for Beth to call her back; she desperately wanted to see Carl. She also had a slight pang of panic strike her; if something happened to Rick, where would Carl go? She knew that Lori had signed over her parental rights; that part was obvious. But, where would Carl wind up? Amanda began to pace, before sitting down next to Daryl. She tapped him on the shoulder, and he looked up, startled.

"Whatcha want?"Daryl asked gruffly.

"I need to ask a question." Amanda replied.

"Then ask." Daryl said.

Amanda sighed, her breath hitching. "If something...If something did happen to Rick," Amanda swallowed her tears, "Where would Carl go? Where would he wind up?"

"Me 'n Beth." Daryl replied calmly.

"Really?" Amanda asked.

"Lori n' Rick decided, well, Rick decided that if somethin' were to ever happen to 'em, Carl would go to me and the Greenes. Well, it was a requirement that the Greenes be a part of his life, like his grandparents. Rick knows I'd do anything for that kid." Daryl explained. Amanda nodded.

"Course, that don't mean I'd be his guardian anymore." Daryl added.

"What do you mean?" Amanda asked.

"Rick and I... We had this talk 'bout a month ago... He's kinda been wantin' you to be Carl's co-guardian at the very least." Daryl replied.

"I just... I was askin' cause if somethin' happened, if Rick wasn't okay, I didn't want Carl to go to Lori..." Amanda trailed off. That was her ultimate fear; losing Carl to a woman that left him behind.

"Rick has it wrote in his will that Lori is never to be near Carl if that happens." Daryl said, "Can't blame 'im either."

"I just don't wanna lose Carl too." Amanda whispered. She could hear her phone vibrate in her pocket; the caller ID read "Bethy Dixon".

"Beth?" Amanda answered.

"Hey." Beth said quietly, "We're on the way to the hospital. I um...I talked to the girls, explained what happened. They're upset, but they know he's gonna be okay."

"I'm really glad you're coming." Amanda said, smiling slightly.

"Hang in there. We'll be there soon. Want me to bring you guys breakfast?" Beth asked.

"What time is it?" Amanda asked.

"Six in the morning." Beth replied.

"Oh. Well, I'm good, but I know everyone else would love you for it." Amanda said.

"Alright then. We'll be there soon." Beth said again.

"See you when you get here. Bye Beth. Be careful." Amanda replied.

"I will. You too Mandy." Beth said, hanging up.

Thirty minutes later, Beth arrived with all of the kids in tow. The girls ran to Carol and Daryl, hugging them tightly, while Carl wrapped his arms tightly around Amanda's waist. He began to cry, and Amanda peeled him back, crouching down to become eye level with him. She wiped his eyes, and pushed his hair back.

"Your dad will be okay, Carl." Amanda said reassuringly.

"I just don't want my daddy to die." Carl said. His innocence was powerful, Amanda began to cry too.

"I know, Carl, I know. But listen, you've got me. I love you, and your dad loves you, and he's going to be okay." Amanda said.

"I know." Carl whispered.

"Carl, sweetie, did you sleep at all last night?" Amanda asked.

"No." Carl replied. Amanda hugged him and sat down on the waiting room couch, and motioned for Carl to join her. He laid his head in her lap, and Amanda rubbed his back gently, until he drifted off to sleep. Amanda covered him with her coat, and she continued to wait patiently for news on Rick.

An hour later, a doctor finally surfaced. He walked out, looking at the chart, and then called for Rick's group.

"Grimes? Family of Rick Grimes?" The doctor asked. Amanda stood up, ordering Carl to stay in his seat. If there was bad news, she didn't want him to hear it just yet.

"I'm—I'm his girlfriend, Amanda Armstrong. Um, this is kind of his family." Amanda said.

"Well, Rick is out of surgery. He's going to need a little more blood, but he's going to be okay." The doctor said. Amanda breathed a sigh of relief.

"When can I see him?" Amanda asked.

"He's sleeping right now. Give it a couple of hours. We had to take several fragments from his side, on top of the bullet. He lost a lot of blood. He's going to need rest." The doctor explained, "We need to monitor him for a while."

"I know, but we're scared to death. You see those little girls, and that guy in the vest? Their father and brother was on the call with Rick, and he lost his hand. We want to see both of them. We've been worried sick." Amanda said. She wasn't angry, but she needed the doctor to know that she was not going to let Rick wake up alone.

The doctor reluctantly agreed, and told Amanda Rick's tentative room number. She thanked him, and returned to the group. Everyone was just as relieved, and another doctor entered the room.

"Dixon family? You guys are allowed to see him now." The doctor said. Everyone got up, and walked to the ICU wing that Merle was in. They all entered the room, and the man lying in the hospital bed looked nothing like Merle. He was covered in tubes and monitors, and he looked feverishly pale.

"Daddy? Everyone is here. We wanted to see you." Mika said quietly, walking over to her father's bedside.

"Hey princess. Where's your sis?" Merle asked softly, looking for Lizzie. Lizzie walked out from behind Daryl, and hugged her father.

"We were so scared, Daddy." Lizzie cried. "But you're okay now."

"You bet I am, darlin'." Merle said, "But you're gonna have to gimme some help, I only got one hand now."

Carol began to cry, but Merle extended his remaining hand toward her.

"Come 'ere sweetie, I ain't dead." Merle said quietly. Carol walked over, leaning down to kiss him.

"They said you lost a lot of blood," Carol cried, "They said you almost went into shock."

"But I'm here now." Merle replied.

"We'll get you fixed up." Carol said.

"Yeah, and we'll get you a fake hand, kinda like Mr. Greene's fake leg." Mika said happily. Merle smiled widely; clearly he wasn't going to let this effect him.

"Well, it'll take a while to get used to, but they didn't take my good hand! I can still write tickets and arrest people." Merle said, "And maybe we can find a fake hand like Hershel's."

Everyone was smiling, obviously relieved that Merle was awake and talking. Merle was the toughest man Amanda had ever met, but he was okay, and she wanted to be with Rick. She politely excused herself and went down the hallway of the intensive care unit; they had just put Rick in the room.

"Excuse me miss, who are you?" Asked a snarky nurse with short, spiky black hair.

"I'm Rick Grimes' girlfriend. He doesn't have any family here, except for his son. Can I see him?" Amanda asked.

"He isn't awake." The nurse replied curtly.

"I don't care." Amanda said sharply.

"Fine. Go on in." The nurse said. Amanda walked into Rick's room. She began to cry at the sight of him. He was dangerously pale, almost gray. He was on oxygen, and had an IV port in each arm. Amanda looked at his medical chart; he was in a medically induced coma. A doctor came in, seeming too nice, but smart.

"Um, hi. You must be the girlfriend." The doctor said. He looked nearly as young as her; Amanda didn't like it.

"I am the girlfriend. Tell me, why's he in a medically induced coma?" Amanda asked.

"Mainly to keep from upsetting the wound in the first 24 hours. We wanna make sure he's healing." The doctor explained. Amanda wasn't impressed, and nodded.

"Listen, doc, not that I don't trust your judgment, but this is way too much morphine, at least for him. His dosage is wrong." Amanda said. The doctor, whose name read "Dr. Gareth Porter, MD", seemed highly insulted that a non-medical doctor would dare correct him.

"Ma'am, with all due respect, I know how to dose a patient, particularly with morphine. I didn't spend four years in medical school for nothing, and I know what I'm doing. You aren't a doctor, you don't know how to dose a patient." Gareth said curtly.

"First of all, Dr. Porter, Gareth, I'm not an idiot. I'm a registered CNA, and I have bachelor's degrees in history and geophysics. Oh, and I'm also getting my doctorate. So, I'm not an idiot. First of all, mixing morphine and hydrocodone is a recipe for disaster. Secondly, this is enough morphine to sedate a 450 pound man. You're going to cut his dosage. Now." Amanda ordered. She wasn't an idiot; working as a CNA through college made her aware of dosages.

"I'm not cutting the dosage." Dr. Porter said, "Especially not for someone that doesn't know what they're talking about."

Amanda looked at Rick, who was lying unconscious in the hospital bed, and then back at Gareth, the snarky doctor.

"If you kill him, if he overdoses on morphine because of you, I will sue you for malpractice. And I'll make sure the Georgia Composite Medical Board knows you killed a man. I will make it so that wherever you go in the United States, you can't practice medicine there. If it comes down to principle, I won't let it go."

Dr. Porter snatched the chart from her, calling in a nurse. Amanda had already text Carol to come in the room. If anyone could catch a doctor's misdiagnosis, it was Carol Peletier. She was, by far, the best and most meticulous nurse Amanda had ever seen. It helped that Carol was still in her scrubs, with her picture ID from Alpharetta Regional still around her neck. Carol walked in behind the nurse, and closed the door.

"Who are you?" Dr. Porter asked snidely.

"I'm Carol Peletier, the ER charge nurse at Alpharetta Regional Hospital. I'm a friend of Rick's." Carol explained, "Apparently you don't remember interning there last year."

"Apparently not." The doctor said. Carol narrowed her eyes.

"Tammy, take a look at this chart, have Ms. Peletier look over it too. Explain to this lady here that the dosages I prescribed were fine." Dr. Porter said, almost triumphantly.

Carol and Tammy grabbed the chart, both looking it over.

"You're full of crap, Dr. Porter." Said Carol, "These dosages will kill him in a matter of hours."

"She's right." Tammy said, "This is way too much. And the drug interactions will leave him in a coma for a week if you keep this up."

"I know what I'm talking about!" The doctor snapped, yanking the chart from the nurses.

"No, you don't. Would you like me to go talk to someone that has the power to fire you? Because I can do that. Now, cut his dosage or I will make sure you never practice medicine around here ever again. I've dealt with snotty little doctors before, I am absolutely not afraid of you. Who's the medical director around here? Isn't it Dr. Hollis? You know I used to work with him here? I wonder what I should tell him..." Carol trailed off. Gareth, obviously panicked, stopped her.

"Fine, cut the dosage to whatever it needs to be, Tammy. And nix the hydrocodone." Dr. Porter ordered. He began to walk out of the hospital room, when Amanda stopped him.

"Oh, and Dr. Porter?" Amanda called. He turned around.

"If I see you back in this hospital room, I will contact Dr. Hollis." Amanda promised. Gareth slammed the door angrily as Tammy adjusted Rick's IV dosage.

"He should be awake by this evening." Tammy said, "But we do want him a little sedated through the pain. Not nearly that much, though."

"I just wanna know he's okay." Amanda said. Carol patted her on the back.

"He will be. Just like Merle is." Carol promised. Amanda smiled, hugging Carol tightly.

"Go check on Merle. He needs you." Amanda said.

"I will. We'll come by later, ok?" Carol said. Amanda nodded, waving her out. Beth, Daryl, and Carl entered the hospital room after Carol, and Carl ran up to his father.

"Dad!" Carl called. Rick, still highly sedated, did not stir.

"He's asleep, buddy. Should be till this evening." Amanda explained.

"I wanted to see him. And say hello." Carl said, obviously disappointed.

"I know. But he knows you're here. He can hear you." Amanda wasn't sure if Rick could hear him or not, but she knew it meant a lot to Carl.

"He don't look like Rick." Daryl mumbled. Beth elbowed him, and he grunted.

"No, he doesn't. But hopefully that'll change soon." Amanda replied.

"I'm just glad he's okay." Beth said. Amanda nodded in agreement.

Amanda sat down in the chair next to his bed, squeezing his hand, and adjusting his covers. Beth waved goodbye, saying she was taking Lizzie, Mika, and Sophia to get something from the cafeteria. Carl said he wanted to stay with his parents until Rick woke up. Daryl was the only one left in the room, and he walked closer to the hospital bed.

"You really do love him, huh?" Daryl asked.

"More than anything." Amanda replied.

"Good." Daryl said, patting her on the back, and ruffling Carl's hair before excusing himself to go check on Merle. Amanda and Carl sat for the rest of the day at Rick's side. Amanda gave Carl money for lunch, and Hershel and Annette brought them dinner, but Amanda didn't eat. She stayed vigilant by Rick's bedside, hoping he'd awaken soon. By the evening, Rick had still not woken up. Amanda was concerned, but the nurses said it may take more time. Daryl, who was staying the night with Merle, came by nearly every hour to check on Rick. By 10:30, Amanda and Carl were exhausted, so Amanda fixed the small couch bed in the room for Carl, and she continued to sit by Rick's bedside, until she fell asleep herself. Her sleep was restless, she was constantly waking up to see if Rick was okay, checking his vitals. She woke up every time a nurse came in, and every time a doctor checked his chart. Carl was fast asleep, mumbling occasionally to himself. Amanda finally fell asleep again at 2:30 in the morning, and Rick still hadn't woken up. She began to cry silently, hoping that he'd wake up and be okay soon. She didn't want to lose him, and it felt as if her heart were breaking in her chest as she nodded off yet again.

Amanda awoke again right before the nurse shift change at 6:30. The nurse walked in, replacing Rick's IV fluids, and Amanda heard music to her ears: Rick was mumbling.

"Mr. Grimes, I need to change your fluids." The nurse explained. Rick's eyes opened slowly, and he coughed, his throat was dry. Amanda ran to the sink, pouring a cup of water for him.

"Here, sweetie, drink this." Amanda said. Rick looked delirious, and Amanda held his hand, smiling weakly.

"What...What day is it?" Rick asked, almost so quiet that Amanda could barely hear him.

"Thursday, honey." Amanda replied. Rick coughed again, and the nurse left the room. Rick blinked, looking around.

"Where's Carl?" Rick asked.

"He's asleep on the couch over there." Amanda pointed. Rick looked over slowly, chuckling, which turned into a cop.

"You been here long?" Rick asked.

"Since you got out of surgery." Amanda replied.

"When was that?" Rick obviously had no idea how long he'd been out.

"Um... Yesterday morning." Amanda said.

"How's Merle?" Rick asked.

"He's better. He woke up yesterday. Just as cantankerous as he always was." Amanda said.

"How'd Bob?" Rick asked.

"They released him that evening he was shot. He just had a bullet graze." Amanda explained. Rick smiled.

"I'm glad you're here." Rick said, "I was really afraid I'd die. I didn't wanna leave you, or Carl."

"I know." Amanda said, tears pricking her eyes, "I love you."

"I love you too." Rick said.

"They have your personal effects in that drawer there." Amanda said. Rick smiled.

"They do?" He asked. Amanda nodded.

"Look in the back pocket of my pants. I have something for you." Rick said. Amanda smiled as she opened the drawer, looking in his back pocket. However, when she realized what it was, her heart came to a stop.

Amanda knew exactly what it was as soon as she saw it: an engagement ring. She looked at Rick, and then at the ring, her hands shaking. Her mouth fell open as she held the ring in her hands. She saw Rick sit up, coughing slightly.

"Marry me?" He asked quietly. Amanda began to shake all over. This was the last thing she expected.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello all! This is purely a fluff chapter-lots of intensity lately. The reviews have been beautiful, guys! I'm so pleased with the response from this and First Summer Love. Stay awesome!**

**Much love,**

**-A**

Chapter 13:

Amanda sat holding the engagement ring, staring at Rick intently. Had he really just proposed? They'd only been together four months, had only known each other for five. Granted, in that time, they'd been through a lot, but she wasn't sure if she was ready. She'd been engaged before, and suddenly, thoughts of her breakup with Michael filled her mind. Her hands began to shake uncontrollably, her mouth grew dry. The words _"I don't love you and I never did" _filled her mind, and she stood up, pushing the chair back. Rick looked at her quizzically, obviously puzzled at her reaction. Surely he'd intended for something much more...Happy.

"What'd you say?" Amanda muttered, pretending she didn't hear him the first time. Rick coughed again, taking a sip of water.

"Marry me?" He asked. Amanda looked at him, and then at Carl sleeping on the couch on the other side of the bed. Surely she should have known this was coming, Rick had been hinting at it for about a month now. She looked down at the ring, and noticed that he'd spent a large sum of money on it. She closed her fists, stepping back further. Concern began to fill Rick's face, which turned into fear.

"I just...I thought..." He began. Amanda stared at him, her eyes growing wide.

"I need to think." Is all Amanda could muster before running out of the room, down the hall as fast as she could. She ran past Merle's room to the elevator, pressing the button over and over until it finally opened. She ran in, not noticing Daryl was right behind her. He held the elevator open enough for him to step inside, looking at her with a similar puzzled look that Rick had given her.

"What the hell are you runnin' for?" Daryl asked. Amanda sunk to the ground, hugging her knees. She held out her hand, opening it to reveal the engagement ring in her hand. Daryl crouched down, picking it up.

"Huh. This is the weirdest lookin' grenade I've ever seen." Daryl said sarcastically.

"I don't...I don't know what to do." Amanda whispered.

"Ain't y'all practically married anyway?" Daryl asked. The elevator hit the ground floor and they both got out, exiting the hospital. They began to walk the streets of downtown Atlanta, Amanda's eyes filling with tears, the cold January weather stinging her face.

"Daryl...I've been engaged before. We dated eight years, and...Then one day, he said 'I don't love you and I never did'. He just, he just left. That's why I moved here in the first place! I had to get away from his family, his friends, _everything. _I met Rick and we clicked... But it's only been four months. Don't you think that it's a bit...Soon?" Amanda asked. Daryl thought for a minute, and then spoke.

"Nope." Is all he responded with.

"What?" Amanda asked. Daryl sighed.

"Y'all met 'cause he carried your butt to the emergency room. Y'all've been through a lot. A lot more than most people have. He loves you." Daryl said.

"How do I know he's not gonna hurt me like Michael?" Amanda asked.

"How does he know you ain't gonna cheat on him, get pregnant, lie about it, then leave like Lori? Do you even know how much it hurt him? To find out that Judith wasn't his baby? Then to have her cheating with his best friend? Do you know what that did to him?" Daryl asked. Amanda shook her head; she didn't.

"Rick lost his mind. He wasn't right. One night, he just dumped Carl off with me, 'cause he was goin' to the bar and he knew Hershel wouldn't let 'im go, 'cause Hershel used to be an alcoholic. So I called Dale, and I asked 'im to watch Carl, and I went to go find Rick. And I searched every bar 'round here, finally found 'im in the seediest one. Took me nearly three hours to find 'im, and he was so drunk he could barely sit up. An' I don't think I ever saw a more pitiful lookin' man in all my life. Here he was with this six-year-old kid and no idea how to raise 'im. Threw up in my truck on the way home." Daryl told her. Amanda nodded.

"I ain't done." Daryl said.

"Seriously?" Amanda asked.

"A little while later, Lori's parents tried to take Carl away in this huge custody battle. He almost lost 'im, if it hadn't been for Merle's wife, Andrea." Daryl said.

"I didn't know that." Amanda whispered.

"He started drinkin', mostly out of fear, but also 'cause he was scared to death of raisin' Carl. And Carl, he quit readin' and writin' and being the happy little kid he used to be. He used to beg—I mean cry and beg—for his mama to come back. And you wanna know what Rick had to say? 'Sorry, she ain't comin' back.' An' every time he had to tell Carl his mama left 'im, Rick would go to the bar those nights, and it just got back. He got in a fight with Tyreese one night, bout 'beat 'im near to death. I couldn't break 'em up either. When Merle put 'im in the drunk tank, that was the last straw. He almost lost his job. Lori took just 'bout everythin' in the divorce." Daryl explained. Amanda continued to listen, she wasn't sure when Daryl had become the chatty type, but she was sure that being stuck in a hospital the past few days could make him want to be friends with anyone. The two found a diner and stepped in, sitting down at a booth and ordering coffee.

"You made him and Carl's life a lot better. Carl can actually read, which is huge. But Rick, he loves you. He only ever dated Lori. He dated a few people, but it was only a date or two; he was serious about who he let around that boy. You're different. If Rick says he loves you, you've got him for the rest of your life. And he's only got 'is heart set on you." Daryl said.

Amanda took a sip of coffee, setting it down.

"I met Michael when I was fourteen years old. We dated all through high school, through most of college. We were gonna get married on June 2, and we were gonna have a big wedding with all of our friends and our family there. It was supposed to be the greatest day of my life. And then, he decides he wants somethin' else, that he's bored I guess. I should've known better. He always told me I wasn't good enough; that I couldn't sing, that I wasn't smart enough, that I wasn't thin enough, whatever, he found ways to pick at me every chance he got. He even hit me a few times." Amand told Daryl. He growled, but allowed her to continue.

"He made me believe I was nothing without him. He made me believe that I was useless and stupid and that I failed at everything. And then he just left. I was so lost, you know? I just had to get out, I had to. I had a full ride to the University of Alabama, and I gave it up. I decided to go to Georgia State instead. I had to leave, I had to figure out who I was. And then, when I was happy, really happy, I met Rick, and I got even happier. Daryl, I love him. I really do. I just... I don't want him to decide I'm unlovable." Amanda said. It was the truth; she could deal with Michael's rebuke, but she knew hearing stuff like that from Rick would drive her into madness.

"He would never do that." Daryl replied quietly, sipping his newly refilled coffee.

"How do you know?" Amanda asked skeptically.

"'Cause that ain't him. He would've done anythin' for Lori, even after she left him. He didn't quit lovin' her for a long time." Daryl said.

"When would that be?" Amanda asked.

"'Bout two years after the divorce, when he finally realized how good him and Carl's lives were without 'er." Daryl replied.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, both deep in thought and drowsy from sleep deprivation.

"I was with 'im the day he bought that ring." Daryl said suddenly.

"When'd he buy it?" Amanda asked. Daryl took another sip of coffee.

"About a week ago. He was gonna wait—he had somethin' big planned, but he had a hard time not tellin' everyone. I ain't seen 'im that excited since Carl was born." Daryl said.

"Wow." Amanda said, sipping the last of her coffee. A waitress came by and refilled it, and she thanked her.

"He had Beth an' Maggie helpin' 'im out, he was gonna do somethin' huge. I think we was all gonna take a trip to Alabama." Daryl said. Amanda began to cry. Rick really did care.

"How do I know...How do I know it's not too soon?" Amanda asked.

"I knew I wanted to marry Beth right after I met her. She was the most annoying person I'd ever met in my life, and I wanted her to annoy me for the rest of my life. If I'd had my way, I would've married her the next week." Daryl said.

"Wasn't Beth like, 17?" Amanda asked.

"Yep. She was 17. And she hated my guts. She hated my guts and I wanted her to marry me so she could hate my guts forever." Daryl said, without missing a beat. Amanda looked at him, obviously impressed.

"The point is, I knew Beth was it. I knew I'd never wasted my time with a girl before 'cause they weren't worth it. As soon as I met Beth I knew why. When you know, you know." Daryl said. Amanda thought about what he said, and the conversation she'd had with Beth and Maggie before Maggie's wedding. Rick was her person. Rick was the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Rick was the person she'd take a bullet for. Rick was worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. Rick was just her person. It clicked for Amanda. She'd fallen for him the first day they'd met, when he saw her sitting on the side of the road next to her totaled truck. She'd fallen for him when he'd given her his old truck. She'd fallen for him on their first date. She'd fallen for him every day since, and never was it more true than now.

The problem was, she'd just run out on him. She'd broken his heart. Amanda stood up, dropping a $10 bill on the table.

"I'll pay you back for the coffee. I have to go. I have to talk to him." Amanda told Daryl. Daryl just grinned slightly, motioning for her to leave. Amanda dashed out of the diner, running to the hospital as fast as her feet could carry her. She'd very nearly lost him just 48 hours ago, she couldn't waste time. She felt like if she slowed down, he might disappear. She continued to run the three blocks to the hospital, quickly running in the lobby and into the elevator. She pressed the button for the fifth floor, closing the elevator doors. She bounced up and down until she reached the floor Rick was on, and as soon as the doors opened, she ran again. She ran all the way to the end of the hall, to where Rick's room was. She hesitated slightly before opening the door.

Carl was still asleep on the couch, but Rick's bed was empty. His IV stand was gone. Amanda began to panic; where could he have gone? She panicked and began to cry, and walked over to Carl, shaking him slightly.

"Carl, do you know where your daddy ran off to?" Amanda asked.

Carl looked up, rubbing his eyes. "No. Sorry." He mumbled before falling back asleep. She ran out of the room and down to Merle's, knocking on the door, startling Carol.

"Have you seen Rick? I can't find him." Amanda said, tears falling down her cheeks.

"No, I'm sorry." Carol said. Amanda began to cry, and Carol walked over to her, hugging her tightly.

"Check the nursery." Merle said from the other side of the room. Both women looked at Merle, puzzled.

"Whenever we'd have to come up here for somethin', or to the hospital in Alpharetta, he'd always go to the nursery to think or wait. I dunno why. Just check the nursery." Merle said. Amanda muttered a quick thanks before exiting the room. She looked at the directory; the nursery was on the fourth floor. She got in the elevator, pressing the "4" button and hoping desperately to find Rick. She began to cry again, wiping her face on her jacket. The elevator doors opened again and Amanda stepped out, looking around.

She began to wander down the hall, hoping to find Rick. Sure enough, Merle was right; Rick was standing in front of the nursery window. Amanda walked up beside him, standing in silence for what felt like an eternity. Amanda felt all the air in the room escape; she thought she would suffocate on the tension.

"Whenever somethin' is bad enough for me to be up here, this place reminds me that there's still some good. Things aren't always as bad as they seem." Rick whispered. He knew she was there.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. He looked over at her, tears forming in his eyes.

"I shouldn't have ran away. I was scared. I was scared that things wouldn't work out, that you'd tell me you didn't love me anymore. I was afraid we were rushing things. I was afraid. It was stupid! And you gave me your heart and you trusted me, and I left—I ran out—just like Lori. I—I'm just so sorry." Amanda cried. She expected Rick to be angry. She expected Rick to turn his back on her. She expected him to walk away. Instead, he pulled her close to him with his good arm, holding her tightly, resting his chin on her head.

"I love you." Is all he said. Amanda continued to sob.

"I was scared. I didn't know what to do. But you were scared too. You were afraid. And I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry I ran out." Amanda sobbed.

"I love you." Rick replied.

"Rick, you're my person. You're it. I love you. I love you more than anything. I was scared, but I know that you'll love me for the rest of your life. I know that you'd never stop loving me, that you wouldn't just leave. And I know that I'll never stop loving you either." Amanda said.

"Listen, I know you're scared, I am too. But you don't get second chances like I did every day. You just don't. I love you. You're stubborn, and you have a temper, and you and Beth and Maggie act so weird together, and you drive me crazy sometimes. But you have the biggest heart of anyone I've ever seen. And you are smart, and you're beautiful, and you're kind, and you're honest, and Amanda...You are everything I've ever wanted." Rick said. Amanda smiled, kissing Rick gently. He kissed her forehead, and she smiled.

"So we're good?" Rick asked.

"We're good." Amanda replied. The two walked back to the elevator, going back to the fifth floor. As the passed Merle's room, Amanda had a sudden pang of realization: she'd left the ring with Daryl.

"Uh, Rick?" Amanda whispered.

"Yeah?" Rick asked.

"I sort of left the ring with Daryl." Amanda mumbled.

"I know. He called me right after you left the diner." He replied.

"How?" Amanda asked.

Rick held up his cell phone, revealing that he'd had it with him. Amanda laughed, and they walked back to Rick's room. It was four in the morning, and Daryl was waiting in Rick's room, sitting in the chair. He stood up, handing the ring to Rick, patting him on the shoulder gently. Rick smiled, turning to Amanda.

"Shall we try this again?" Rick asked. Amanda nodded, her eyes filling with tears. She looked to the door to see Carol, Merle, and Beth standing in the hallway, all anxiously anticipating what was about to happen.

"So, I knew the moment I met you that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. You love my son like he's your own, he became ours. And he loves you. And we've been through a lot, it's been hard sometimes. But you are the most incredible, beautiful person I've ever met. You brought me back. You showed me there's still good people, that I wasn't too far gone. You showed Carl and me what it was like—what it was like to have a family. Geez—It was a lot nicer in my head, but I can't wait anymore." Rick said. Amanda began to cry as she noticed that Carl was sitting straight up, wide awake.

Rick slowly, painfully got down on one knee on the floor of his hospital room, with Daryl making sure that he wasn't going to pull his IV out.

"Amanda Leigh Armstrong, will you marry me?" Rick asked, holding up the engagement ring.

"Yes." Amanda cried, "Yes, yes, yes!"

She and Daryl helped Rick to his feet, and Amanda and Rick hugged. Carol, Beth, and Merle cheered, along with several nurses who had gathered to watch. Rick slipped the engagement ring on Amanda's finger, and she took a moment to truly admire it. Michael had gotten her a small, solitary diamond that was so tiny that it was almost not visible. This however, was beautiful. The ring was an emerald cut diamond, with the band intertwining on the sides to form the setting. The band had smaller diamonds on the side, accentuating the larger, emerald cut diamond. It was absolutely breathtaking and unique, and it was all hers—something that Rick had picked specifically for her.

"It's beautiful." Amanda told Rick. He smiled.

"I had help pickin' it out." Rick said.

"Beth?" Amanda chuckled. Beth shook her head.

"Maggie?" Amanda asked. Rick shook his head.

"Then who was it?" Amanda asked.

Carl stood up, smiling proudly, pointing to himself and Daryl.

"Me an' Uncle Daryl helped!" Carl exclaimed.

"I just drove 'em around really." Daryl said, winking. Amanda smiled, hugging everyone. Rick was obviously tired and sore, as was Merle. The nurses ordered them back to bed, and soon Carl was fast asleep on the couch. Amanda had crawled on to the hospital bed next to Rick, smiling widely, staring at the ring.

"So...I know it's a little early to be thinkin' about weddin' dates, but..." Rick began. Amanda finished his sentence.

"I was thinkin' July 12th." Amanda said. Rick chuckled.

"That soon?" He asked.

"I wanna spend the rest of my life with you. And I want the rest of my life to start on July 12th." Amanda said. Rick smiled.

"Big wedding?" Rick asked.

"Absolutely not." Amanda replied, "I want something small."

"Okay, then. We'll worry about that later. We got people to call in the morning." Rick said. Amanda smiled.

"Yes we do." Amanda said.

"I told ya I was gonna marry you." Rick said, teasing her.

"You were right." Amanda laughed. She laid her head on the pillow, staring at Rick.

In the midst of tragedy, she'd never been happier. She had everything she could ever want; a wonderful fiance (which was weird to say), an adopted son, and a beautiful life in Georgia. She couldn't wait to call people the next day, and she couldn't wait to make wedding plans with Beth and Maggie. So many good things were happening for them, and she couldn't wait to share it with all of her friends and family. Most importantly, she couldn't wait for Rick to be released from the hospital, so she could begin to plan her wedding to the man of her dreams.


End file.
